Narrative:

I called flight service; asked for a complete briefing. There was no mention of tfrs in the brief at all. I took off and flew IFR for most of the flight; canceled with chicago center; telling them I was going to run the lakeshore up to the north; again; no mention of any tfrs. I also had the xm weather in the cockpit; which normally shows tfrs; none shown. Upon landing I was asked to call chicago center and they advised me that I was involved in a possible pilot deviation. They asked for my name and phone number. I gave them both and am waiting to hear from them. Summary: I think the government; briefing system (and or briefers); the system to inform GPS-xm real time services of tfr; and local ATC controllers all knew or should have known and had an obligation to inform me a tfr existed on my flight path but failed to do so despite my proper good pilot practice preflight; briefing and inflight actions. Several members of an airshow team that I belong to had performed the previous day were returning home and due to weather overnighted. Three members had similar flight paths and two had almost identical paths to return home. Each of those three; including myself called the flight briefing that morning before departing and received a full standard briefing including all notams that should have included area tfrs. We all discussed our briefings and plans prior to flight. During my briefing during the notams that include tfrs my briefer said; 'there is a tfr but it is way west of your flight route do you want to hear about it?' I replied; 'if it [was] way west; then there is no need (I knew that the president was way west of my flight path). Due to weather I filed direct at 6;000 ft (there was reports of icing 6;000-11;000). I fully expected to break out of IFR conditions somewhere north but not until then and had explained once I got to VFR I would probably cancel. Why when three of us made individual briefing calls were we not a single one of us told there was tfr in chicago that was in our destination area; but instead were told of one 'way west'...I believe the briefer failed all three of us...even though we each had different briefers and individual briefings. Either flight service did not have the data or all three briefers failed to give it to us. I continually fly with a garmin that is xm linked in real time weather and tfrs. The device has never failed to show tfrs before. Continuously during the flight I checked and no tfr showed in the chicago area. Many pilots depend; especially on long flights; on their GPS-xm system (mine is a 496) to graphically map tfrs. Why did the tfr not show up on my GPS and I have checked with other pilots that day; and a teammate using the same equipment just 20 minutes behind me; all failed to show the tfr. Could it be it was not posted to the service so xm could broadcast it? I kept my IFR flight plan until after grissom approach; just short of gary; indiana I was handed off to chicago ATC...I checked in and received the altimeter setting. I replied; chicago when you have time I has a request. ...ATC said 'state your request.' (it was cavu not a cloud in the sky and low humidity.) 'chicago; I would like to cancel IFR at this time and continue VFR to the north' ...ATC replied; 'cancellation received squawk VFR; have a good flight.' I pushed over to get under the chicago class B airspace but still remain over gary airport traffic area (3;200 ft)....I then continued to descend below 3;000 down to 1;900 and fly from gary to the north and my destination. I know an ATC controller does not have to inform you of on going tfr notams; but the chicago controller that took my IFR cancellation knew I was overflying gary going to the north; could he not have said; 'are you aware there is a tfr just a few miles north of gary; indiana and you will be in it in less than 2 minutes? I suggest you should keep your IFR flight plan' ...that would have prevented the violation. But no; I was trying to help atcout; since it was a perfectly cavu conditions; I chose to be a nice guy and reduce their workload and handle my own traffic and airspace clearances (well airspaces that I knew of; that being class B) I did not know of any tfr despite my efforts to learn of it by: 1. The full flight service briefing; 2. GPS-xm and 3. Perhaps the last chance was the chicago controller that took my IFR cancellation just minutes before the violation occurred. I personally review my actions; admit I flew through a tfr; certainly I made several efforts as I do every flight to learn of any tfrs but was not informed that there was a tfr or aware in any way there was any tfr except one 250 miles west of my departure the briefer told me a little about. I believe I made good airman briefing; preflight and inflight decisions regarding tfrs and it was the government briefing; systems to update GPS-xm tfr warnings and ATC chicago controllers that failed me. It is very upsetting that I could be charged with a violation for taking reasonable actions to find out about a tfr but the government and its contractors; that had or should have had the information; failed to inform me of it. It is the old saying...if a mechanic makes a mistake; it is the pilot that still dies; if a briefer makes a mistake; it is still the pilot that dies; if a controller makes a mistake; it is still the pilots who dies. In my case it is the pilot who is subject for being cited for flying through a tfr that many others could have and should have informed me existed. Thank you so much for this system to help make aviation safer!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot was told after landing that he may have violated a TFR near ORD; yet in his FSS briefing; while getting continuous XM weather updates in the aircraft and talking with ATC; he was never notified of an active TFR.

Narrative: I called Flight Service; asked for a complete briefing. There was no mention of TFRs in the brief at all. I took off and flew IFR for most of the flight; canceled with Chicago Center; telling them I was going to run the Lakeshore up to the north; again; no mention of any TFRs. I also had the XM weather in the cockpit; which normally shows TFRs; none shown. Upon landing I was asked to call Chicago Center and they advised me that I was involved in a possible pilot deviation. They asked for my name and phone number. I gave them both and am waiting to hear from them. Summary: I think the government; briefing system (and or briefers); The system to inform GPS-XM real time services of TFR; and Local ATC controllers all knew or should have known and had an obligation to inform me a TFR existed on my flight path but failed to do so despite my proper good pilot practice preflight; briefing and inflight actions. Several members of an airshow team that I belong to had performed the previous day were returning home and due to weather overnighted. Three members had similar flight paths and two had almost identical paths to return home. Each of those three; including myself called the Flight Briefing that morning before departing and received a full standard briefing including all NOTAMs that should have included area TFRs. We all discussed our briefings and plans prior to flight. During my briefing during the NOTAMs that include TFRs my briefer said; 'There is a TFR but it is way west of your flight route do you want to hear about it?' I replied; 'If it [was] way west; then there is no need (I knew that the president was way west of my flight path). Due to weather I filed direct at 6;000 FT (there was reports of icing 6;000-11;000). I fully expected to break out of IFR conditions somewhere north but not until then and had explained once I got to VFR I would probably cancel. Why when three of us made individual briefing calls were we not a single one of us told there was TFR in Chicago that was in our destination area; but instead were told of one 'way west'...I believe the briefer failed all three of us...even though we each had different briefers and individual briefings. Either Flight Service did not have the data or all three briefers failed to give it to us. I continually fly with a Garmin that is XM linked in real time weather and TFRs. The device has never failed to show TFRs before. Continuously during the flight I checked and no TFR showed in the Chicago area. Many pilots depend; especially on long flights; on their GPS-XM system (mine is a 496) to graphically map TFRs. Why did the TFR not show up on my GPS and I have checked with other pilots that day; and a teammate using the same equipment just 20 minutes behind me; all failed to show the TFR. Could it be it was not posted to the service so XM could broadcast it? I kept my IFR flight plan until after Grissom Approach; just short of Gary; Indiana I was handed off to Chicago ATC...I checked in and received the altimeter setting. I replied; Chicago when you have time I has a request. ...ATC said 'state your request.' (It was CAVU not a cloud in the sky and low humidity.) 'Chicago; I would like to cancel IFR at this time and continue VFR to the north' ...ATC replied; 'cancellation received squawk VFR; have a good flight.' I pushed over to get under the Chicago Class B airspace but still remain over Gary Airport Traffic Area (3;200 FT)....I then continued to descend below 3;000 down to 1;900 and fly from Gary to the north and my destination. I know an ATC controller does not have to inform you of on going TFR NOTAMs; but the Chicago Controller that took my IFR cancellation knew I was overflying Gary going to the north; could he not have said; 'are you aware there is a TFR just a few miles north of Gary; Indiana and you will be in it in less than 2 minutes? I suggest you should keep your IFR flight plan' ...that would have prevented the violation. But no; I was trying to help ATCout; since it was a perfectly CAVU conditions; I chose to be a nice guy and reduce their workload and handle my own traffic and airspace clearances (well airspaces that I knew of; that being Class B) I did not know of any TFR despite my efforts to learn of it by: 1. the full Flight Service briefing; 2. GPS-XM and 3. Perhaps the last chance was the Chicago Controller that took my IFR cancellation just minutes before the violation occurred. I personally review my actions; admit I flew through a TFR; certainly I made several efforts as I do every flight to learn of any TFRs but was not informed that there was a TFR or aware in any way there was any TFR except one 250 miles west of my departure the briefer told me a little about. I believe I made good airman briefing; preflight and inflight decisions regarding TFRs and it was the Government Briefing; Systems to update GPS-XM TFR warnings and ATC Chicago controllers that failed me. It is very upsetting that I could be charged with a violation for taking reasonable actions to find out about a TFR but the government and its contractors; that had or should have had the information; failed to inform me of it. It is the old saying...if a mechanic makes a mistake; it is the pilot that still dies; if a briefer makes a mistake; it is still the pilot that dies; if a controller makes a mistake; it is still the pilots who dies. In my case it is the pilot who is subject for being cited for flying through a TFR that many others could have and should have informed me existed. Thank you so much for this system to help make aviation safer!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.