Narrative:

While flying in the proximity of the tfr stated in fdc NOTAM 4/9894, the lateral distance and the vertical separation were such that at no point, the aircraft flew into the restr airspace. Furthermore, when NOTAM 4/9894 was replaced by NOTAM 4/9911 at XA22Z, the lateral and vertical limits of the tfr changed from a 5 NM radius and 9000 ft MSL to a 1 NM radius and 8000 ft MSL (this NOTAM omitted the radial from bjc VOR, thus requiring an additional NOTAM issuance 4/9912). The decrease in size of this tfr occurred before our aircraft was in the area, therefore, the distance between the route of flight and the restr airspace increased. While en route between sbs and corona pass, our aircraft was communicating with at least 2 other aircraft on frequency 122.75 who were planning to cross the continental divide at corona pass, which meant ours was not the only aircraft in the area. How the problem arose: ATC witnessed an aircraft fly through a tfr. Contributing factors: a factor which contributed to the lack of detail regarding the communication with centennial ground control was the inability of the PF and the PNF to communicate with each other during the conversation with centennial ground due to intercom issues (that were later resolved). How it was discovered: incursion allegations made by ATC and communicated via centennial ground control. Corrective actions: during the inbound flight, the tfr's established by fdc NOTAMS 4/9894, 4/9911, and 4/9912 were avoided by turning to the south at tungsten reservoir. Perceptions, judgements, decisions: pilot's judgement was that the route taken by a turn to the south provided adequate separation between the route and the tfr, therefore, the decision was made to take a more southern route than planned. The perception of ATC claiming we flew through a tfr was created from: 1) our proximity to the tfr. 2) other aircraft following the same approximately route and whom were in the same area. 3) a belief the tfr was still in its larger form at the time we flew by it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20 PLTS CHALLENGE ATC CONTENTION THAT THEY VIOLATED A TFR IN THE VICINITY OF THE BJC VOR.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING IN THE PROX OF THE TFR STATED IN FDC NOTAM 4/9894, THE LATERAL DISTANCE AND THE VERT SEPARATION WERE SUCH THAT AT NO POINT, THE ACFT FLEW INTO THE RESTR AIRSPACE. FURTHERMORE, WHEN NOTAM 4/9894 WAS REPLACED BY NOTAM 4/9911 AT XA22Z, THE LATERAL AND VERT LIMITS OF THE TFR CHANGED FROM A 5 NM RADIUS AND 9000 FT MSL TO A 1 NM RADIUS AND 8000 FT MSL (THIS NOTAM OMITTED THE RADIAL FROM BJC VOR, THUS REQUIRING AN ADDITIONAL NOTAM ISSUANCE 4/9912). THE DECREASE IN SIZE OF THIS TFR OCCURRED BEFORE OUR ACFT WAS IN THE AREA, THEREFORE, THE DISTANCE BTWN THE RTE OF FLT AND THE RESTR AIRSPACE INCREASED. WHILE ENRTE BTWN SBS AND CORONA PASS, OUR ACFT WAS COMMUNICATING WITH AT LEAST 2 OTHER ACFT ON FREQ 122.75 WHO WERE PLANNING TO CROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AT CORONA PASS, WHICH MEANT OURS WAS NOT THE ONLY ACFT IN THE AREA. HOW THE PROB AROSE: ATC WITNESSED AN ACFT FLY THROUGH A TFR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF DETAIL REGARDING THE COM WITH CENTENNIAL GND CTL WAS THE INABILITY OF THE PF AND THE PNF TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH CENTENNIAL GND DUE TO INTERCOM ISSUES (THAT WERE LATER RESOLVED). HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: INCURSION ALLEGATIONS MADE BY ATC AND COMMUNICATED VIA CENTENNIAL GND CTL. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: DURING THE INBOUND FLT, THE TFR'S ESTABLISHED BY FDC NOTAMS 4/9894, 4/9911, AND 4/9912 WERE AVOIDED BY TURNING TO THE S AT TUNGSTEN RESERVOIR. PERCEPTIONS, JUDGEMENTS, DECISIONS: PLT'S JUDGEMENT WAS THAT THE RTE TAKEN BY A TURN TO THE S PROVIDED ADEQUATE SEPARATION BTWN THE RTE AND THE TFR, THEREFORE, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO TAKE A MORE SOUTHERN RTE THAN PLANNED. THE PERCEPTION OF ATC CLAIMING WE FLEW THROUGH A TFR WAS CREATED FROM: 1) OUR PROX TO THE TFR. 2) OTHER ACFT FOLLOWING THE SAME APPROX RTE AND WHOM WERE IN THE SAME AREA. 3) A BELIEF THE TFR WAS STILL IN ITS LARGER FORM AT THE TIME WE FLEW BY IT.

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.