SMA PLT PENETRATES TEMPORARY RESTR AREA.

Narrative

MYSELF AND ANOTHER PLT DEPARTED PMX; MA; EARLY IN THE MORNING TO VIEW DAMAGE DONE BY A TORNADO IN THE GREAT BARRINGTON AREA OF MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW YORK. I COMMENTED TO THE SECOND PLT; WHO HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THAT I; AT LEAST 4 TIMES; THAT I THOUGHT WE SHOULD CHK WITH FSS AND SEE IF THE FAA HAD IMPOSED A TEMPORARY FLT RESTR OVER THE DAMAGED AREA. HE INSISTED THAT THE FAA 'DIDN'T DO THAT FOR TORNADO DAMAGED AREAS.' I ERRONEOUSLY DEFERRED TO HIM BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK FOOLISH. IN ADDITION; THE SECOND PLT WAS IN A RUSH AND NEEDED TO GET BACK BY 3 HRS LATER. WE LEFT AND VIEWED THE AREA OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT AN HR AT VARYING ALTS BTWN 1100-2800 FT AGL. I'M NOT CERTAIN IF I ENTERED THE TEMPORARY RESTR AREA; BUT IT'S PROBABLE. I CHKED THE TRACK LOG ON THE GPS MOVING MAP -- IT WAS CLOSE. AFTER INFORMING ANOTHER PLT FRIEND OF MINE THAT HE TOO SHOULD CHK AT THE DAMAGE BY THE TORNADO; HE INFORMED ME ABOUT THE TEMPORARY FLT RESTR. I DIDN'T CALL FSS ON THIS PARTICULAR MORNING FOR THE REASON THAT THE WX WAS OBVIOUSLY PERFECT ACCORDING TO THE WX CHANNEL. LESSONS LEARNED: FSS IS GOOD FOR MORE THAN WX. I CHK FSS RELIGIOUSLY WHENEVER I TAKE LONG TRIPS OR THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF BAD WX. NOW I'LL CHK IT ALL THE TIME. THE FACT THAT I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO MENTION IT 4 TIMES TO MY FRIEND SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ME THEN AND THERE TO CHK WITH FSS. IT'S MY BUTT ON THE LINE; NOT HIS 'SO CHK FSS!' JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS MORE HRS THAN ME DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE RIGHT; NECESSARILY. THE RESPONSIBILITY IS/WAS SOLELY MINE. AS PIC I SHOULD HAVE ACTED AS SUCH AND GONE AND DONE WHAT I KNEW WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. FACTORS: I'M NOT SURE IF IT CONTRIBUTED; BUT I WAS OPERATING ON ABOUT 3 HRS SLEEP (I WORK NIGHT SHIFT). MY MIND PROBABLY WASN'T THAT CLR. RESTR AREA; I FOUND OUT; WAS ON 090 DEG BEARING AT A DISTANCE OF 2 NM FROM THE NDB NEAR GREAT BARRINGTON; MA; RADIOS 5 NM; TEMPORARY FLT RESTR TERMINATES ON JUN/XX/95. ACTIONS: I CALLED HIM UP AND CHEWED HIS ASS; IT MADE ME FEEL A LITTLE BETTER.