SMA PLT PERFORMS UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE WHEN IN PROX OF ATA RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative

ON JUL/SUN/93 I FLEW UP THE MISSOURI RIVER TO HERMANN; MO; NE TO LOCK AT WINFIELD AND DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI TO ST. CHARLES AT ALTS VARYING FROM 1500-3000 FT MSL. I HAD BEEN OUT OF TOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND WANTED TO ASSESS THE FLOOD DAMAGE AT ONE LCL ARPT WHERE I HAD HELPED EVAC THE PREVIOUS WK. I WANTED TO GET PHOTOS OF A FRIEND'S SHOP BLOCKED BY FLOOD WATERS AND I WISHED TO SEE THE HISTORIC FLOOD CONDITIONS. WHILE EXERCISING EXTREME VIGILANCE FOR OTHER ANTICIPATED TFC; I FAILED TO EXERCISE SUFFICIENT VIGILANCE FOR SPIRIT ATA. I WAS APCHING SUS FROM THIS DIRECTION; I.E.; THE N; FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE VASTLY ALTERED SHAPE OF THE RIVER AS WELL AS HAZY CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MY ERROR. WHEN I SAW THAT I WAS INSIDE SUS ATA I PROMPTLY DEPARTED. WHEN I LANDED LATER I LEARNED THAT THE AREA UP TO 3000 FT AND WITHIN 3 MI OF THE RIVERS HAD BEEN DECLARED RESTR. AS REGARDS THIS TYPE OF RESTR; IT SEEMS INEVITABLE THAT SOME PEOPLE WON'T GET THE WORD AND FLYING IN THESE AREAS WAS LEGAL AND INDEED NECESSARY IN EVAC DUTIES 4 DAYS EARLIER. FOR MY PART; I INTEND IN FUTURE TO PASS THROUGH THE ARPT OFFICE IN A MORE ATTENTIVE AND OBSERVANT MANNER PRIOR TO FUTURE FLTS AND PROBABLY ASK IF ANYTHING IS NEW OR HAS BEEN CHANGED.