Narrative:

On dec/mon/03, a 30 NM tfr went into effect starting at XJ00 to XK30, centered at ewr airport, nj. The outer periphery of the tfr just included somerset airport, nj (smq). I briefed with FSS at XA00 for an XB00 flight VFR from smq to mjx (toms river, nj). I did receive notification of the impending tfr from FSS, and was aware the tfr would begin at XJ00. The purpose of the flight was for a continuation of avionics GPS system repair. It was a troublesome installation and I had been back several times for corrective repairs. I departed mjx for return to smq at around XF00, arriving at smq around XG00. I had lunch, attended to some business and decided to conduct additional flight tests of the troublesome GPS installation. I conducted flight tests in the local area, flew to nearby N40 (sky manor) for (reduced price) fuel, spent considerable time on the ground there, familiarizing, evaluating, and testing controls and outputs of the avionics installation. I departed N40 conducting additional flight tests, while avoiding some isolated very local snow showers, and eventually returned to smq, landing at around XJ30. I was so involved and focused on the avionics testing and some local WX, that I had just completely forgotten about the XJ00 start time for the tfr. The main distraction was the focus on avionics tests. Contributing factors were distraction from some local WX phenomena, and in the backgnd some distracting business issues. Next time, the lesson is: brief before every flight -- even short ones, and for the future, be more acutely aware of the insidious power of distrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERS TFR DURING FLT TO SMQ.

Narrative: ON DEC/MON/03, A 30 NM TFR WENT INTO EFFECT STARTING AT XJ00 TO XK30, CTRED AT EWR ARPT, NJ. THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE TFR JUST INCLUDED SOMERSET ARPT, NJ (SMQ). I BRIEFED WITH FSS AT XA00 FOR AN XB00 FLT VFR FROM SMQ TO MJX (TOMS RIVER, NJ). I DID RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF THE IMPENDING TFR FROM FSS, AND WAS AWARE THE TFR WOULD BEGIN AT XJ00. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS FOR A CONTINUATION OF AVIONICS GPS SYS REPAIR. IT WAS A TROUBLESOME INSTALLATION AND I HAD BEEN BACK SEVERAL TIMES FOR CORRECTIVE REPAIRS. I DEPARTED MJX FOR RETURN TO SMQ AT AROUND XF00, ARRIVING AT SMQ AROUND XG00. I HAD LUNCH, ATTENDED TO SOME BUSINESS AND DECIDED TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL FLT TESTS OF THE TROUBLESOME GPS INSTALLATION. I CONDUCTED FLT TESTS IN THE LCL AREA, FLEW TO NEARBY N40 (SKY MANOR) FOR (REDUCED PRICE) FUEL, SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME ON THE GND THERE, FAMILIARIZING, EVALUATING, AND TESTING CTLS AND OUTPUTS OF THE AVIONICS INSTALLATION. I DEPARTED N40 CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL FLT TESTS, WHILE AVOIDING SOME ISOLATED VERY LCL SNOW SHOWERS, AND EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO SMQ, LNDG AT AROUND XJ30. I WAS SO INVOLVED AND FOCUSED ON THE AVIONICS TESTING AND SOME LCL WX, THAT I HAD JUST COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE XJ00 START TIME FOR THE TFR. THE MAIN DISTR WAS THE FOCUS ON AVIONICS TESTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE DISTR FROM SOME LCL WX PHENOMENA, AND IN THE BACKGND SOME DISTRACTING BUSINESS ISSUES. NEXT TIME, THE LESSON IS: BRIEF BEFORE EVERY FLT -- EVEN SHORT ONES, AND FOR THE FUTURE, BE MORE ACUTELY AWARE OF THE INSIDIOUS PWR OF DISTRS.

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.