Narrative:

Incursion into newport, in tfr (fdc 1/0661). I was on a VFR flight at 4500 ft MSL en route from bmg to tth VORTAC, directly to tip. The beginning of the newport tfr was no less than 5 NM from my intended route of flight. WX conditions were VFR, but grey and moderately hazy due to extensive cloud cover at 7000-8000 ft. Visibility was 6+ NM. I had received a WX briefing and relevant NOTAMS from st louis FSS and through duats prior to my initial flight from tip to bmg earlier. I flew from bmg toward the tth VORTAC without incident. Upon departing the tth VORTAC chkpoint toward tip, I believed I was on the proper route, however, I apparently ended up off-course and traversed the newport, in, tfr at 4500 ft MSL or about 1000 ft to 1100 ft below the tfr's AGL altitude limit of 5000 ft. I believe that I was off course because of stronger than anticipated westerly winds. Upon realizing I was off course, I circled to determine my approximately location and then flew northwest to intercept my planned route. I continued on to tip without incident. The incursion was reported to me through cmi approach via a message passed by the terre haute/huf/FSS, at which time it was requested that I telephone the huf FSS upon landing. The incursion was inadvertent. The aircraft was fully operational and WX was not a significant factor. I simply became disoriented as a new pilot in an unfamiliar area and did not reorient to multiple VORTAC's fast enough. As this was my first flight in the vicinity of a tfr, I believe corrective actions would include the following: 1) if lost or off-course in the vicinity of a tfr, seek advisory services or vectoring from ATC/FSS immediately to avoid such an incursion. 2) plan VFR flight rtes well enough away from any tfr. 3) plan flight altitudes substantially in excess of tfr minimums (in this case, ceilings were lower than preferred and may have compromised safety).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA28 ENTERS TFR NEAR NEWPORT, IN.

Narrative: INCURSION INTO NEWPORT, IN TFR (FDC 1/0661). I WAS ON A VFR FLT AT 4500 FT MSL ENRTE FROM BMG TO TTH VORTAC, DIRECTLY TO TIP. THE BEGINNING OF THE NEWPORT TFR WAS NO LESS THAN 5 NM FROM MY INTENDED RTE OF FLT. WX CONDITIONS WERE VFR, BUT GREY AND MODERATELY HAZY DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AT 7000-8000 FT. VISIBILITY WAS 6+ NM. I HAD RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AND RELEVANT NOTAMS FROM ST LOUIS FSS AND THROUGH DUATS PRIOR TO MY INITIAL FLT FROM TIP TO BMG EARLIER. I FLEW FROM BMG TOWARD THE TTH VORTAC WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON DEPARTING THE TTH VORTAC CHKPOINT TOWARD TIP, I BELIEVED I WAS ON THE PROPER RTE, HOWEVER, I APPARENTLY ENDED UP OFF-COURSE AND TRAVERSED THE NEWPORT, IN, TFR AT 4500 FT MSL OR ABOUT 1000 FT TO 1100 FT BELOW THE TFR'S AGL ALT LIMIT OF 5000 FT. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS OFF COURSE BECAUSE OF STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED WESTERLY WINDS. UPON REALIZING I WAS OFF COURSE, I CIRCLED TO DETERMINE MY APPROX LOCATION AND THEN FLEW NW TO INTERCEPT MY PLANNED RTE. I CONTINUED ON TO TIP WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE INCURSION WAS RPTED TO ME THROUGH CMI APCH VIA A MESSAGE PASSED BY THE TERRE HAUTE/HUF/FSS, AT WHICH TIME IT WAS REQUESTED THAT I TELEPHONE THE HUF FSS UPON LNDG. THE INCURSION WAS INADVERTENT. THE ACFT WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL AND WX WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR. I SIMPLY BECAME DISORIENTED AS A NEW PLT IN AN UNFAMILIAR AREA AND DID NOT REORIENT TO MULTIPLE VORTAC'S FAST ENOUGH. AS THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN THE VICINITY OF A TFR, I BELIEVE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1) IF LOST OR OFF-COURSE IN THE VICINITY OF A TFR, SEEK ADVISORY SVCS OR VECTORING FROM ATC/FSS IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID SUCH AN INCURSION. 2) PLAN VFR FLT RTES WELL ENOUGH AWAY FROM ANY TFR. 3) PLAN FLT ALTS SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF TFR MINIMUMS (IN THIS CASE, CEILINGS WERE LOWER THAN PREFERRED AND MAY HAVE COMPROMISED SAFETY).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.