Narrative:

On jul/mon/06 at approximately XA00; a passenger and I took off from ZZZ on a sightseeing flight. The WX was VFR with broken to scattered clouds at approximately 4500 ft MSL. I checked the AWOS but did not receive a WX briefing. We flew to the west to look at the mountains and then decided to fly over the lake. We were over the lake at approximately XA30; sightseeing when I saw a large helicopter (type unknown) flying low over the surface of the lake approximately 2 SM away from us. There was also a single engine retractable gear cessna in the area near the helicopter. I observed the helicopter scoop up some of the water from the lake in a bucket hanging beneath the helicopter. I realized that this must be a firefighting operation and that there must be a tfr around the area. I immediately turned away from the helicopter and cessna to leave the area. A couple mins later; I saw the cessna pass us on our left about 200 ft away horizontally and about 50 ft above us; possibly to record my tail number. The cessna then made a climbing right turn in front and above us. I then tuned my radio to 121.5 but I heard no calls. We continued to vacate the area; and monitored 121.5. When I returned home; I went to duats.communication to check to see if there was a tfr over the area and; in fact; there was. I realize that I was in violation of 91.137 and that this was due to me not receiving a proper preflight briefing. Part of the reason for this was the fact that when I took off; I wasn't sure where the flight would be going; rather we just went for an unplanned scenic flight. In the future; to prevent such an incident and to ensure that I don't violate 91.103; I will always receive a preflight briefing even for local flts. I will also plan all my flts; including scenic ones; and get a briefing for all areas where I may fly on that flight. For longer flts; I will check for any possible tfr's and other pertinent information while in-flight. When the flight permits I will also use radar advisories. When I am not talking to ATC or approaching an airport; I will always monitor 121.5 to avoid further conflicts and in order to render assistance if the need should arise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A KITFOX 4 PLT DEPARTED VFR AN INCOMPLETE PREFLT BRIEFING AND ENTERED A FIREFIGHTING TFR.

Narrative: ON JUL/MON/06 AT APPROX XA00; A PAX AND I TOOK OFF FROM ZZZ ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT. THE WX WAS VFR WITH BROKEN TO SCATTERED CLOUDS AT APPROX 4500 FT MSL. I CHKED THE AWOS BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A WX BRIEFING. WE FLEW TO THE W TO LOOK AT THE MOUNTAINS AND THEN DECIDED TO FLY OVER THE LAKE. WE WERE OVER THE LAKE AT APPROX XA30; SIGHTSEEING WHEN I SAW A LARGE HELI (TYPE UNKNOWN) FLYING LOW OVER THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE APPROX 2 SM AWAY FROM US. THERE WAS ALSO A SINGLE ENG RETRACTABLE GEAR CESSNA IN THE AREA NEAR THE HELI. I OBSERVED THE HELI SCOOP UP SOME OF THE WATER FROM THE LAKE IN A BUCKET HANGING BENEATH THE HELI. I REALIZED THAT THIS MUST BE A FIREFIGHTING OP AND THAT THERE MUST BE A TFR AROUND THE AREA. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AWAY FROM THE HELI AND CESSNA TO LEAVE THE AREA. A COUPLE MINS LATER; I SAW THE CESSNA PASS US ON OUR L ABOUT 200 FT AWAY HORIZONTALLY AND ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE US; POSSIBLY TO RECORD MY TAIL NUMBER. THE CESSNA THEN MADE A CLBING R TURN IN FRONT AND ABOVE US. I THEN TUNED MY RADIO TO 121.5 BUT I HEARD NO CALLS. WE CONTINUED TO VACATE THE AREA; AND MONITORED 121.5. WHEN I RETURNED HOME; I WENT TO DUATS.COM TO CHK TO SEE IF THERE WAS A TFR OVER THE AREA AND; IN FACT; THERE WAS. I REALIZE THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF 91.137 AND THAT THIS WAS DUE TO ME NOT RECEIVING A PROPER PREFLT BRIEFING. PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THE FACT THAT WHEN I TOOK OFF; I WASN'T SURE WHERE THE FLT WOULD BE GOING; RATHER WE JUST WENT FOR AN UNPLANNED SCENIC FLT. IN THE FUTURE; TO PREVENT SUCH AN INCIDENT AND TO ENSURE THAT I DON'T VIOLATE 91.103; I WILL ALWAYS RECEIVE A PREFLT BRIEFING EVEN FOR LCL FLTS. I WILL ALSO PLAN ALL MY FLTS; INCLUDING SCENIC ONES; AND GET A BRIEFING FOR ALL AREAS WHERE I MAY FLY ON THAT FLT. FOR LONGER FLTS; I WILL CHK FOR ANY POSSIBLE TFR'S AND OTHER PERTINENT INFO WHILE INFLT. WHEN THE FLT PERMITS I WILL ALSO USE RADAR ADVISORIES. WHEN I AM NOT TALKING TO ATC OR APCHING AN ARPT; I WILL ALWAYS MONITOR 121.5 TO AVOID FURTHER CONFLICTS AND IN ORDER TO RENDER ASSISTANCE IF THE NEED SHOULD ARISE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.