A PA32 PVT PLT PENETRATES THE HUDSON RIVER VFR CORRIDOR WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNATED A TEMPORARY RESTR AREA.
Synopsis
A PA32 PVT PLT PENETRATES THE HUDSON RIVER VFR CORRIDOR WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNATED A TEMPORARY RESTR AREA.
Narrative
ON MAY/XA/99; I WAS ON A FLT FROM N87 TO HPN ON BUSINESS. I CHKED WX PRIOR TO THE FLT VIA DUAT; ON THE COMPUTER. I MADE THE ROUTINE FLT (DIRECT MORRISTOWN; DIRECT WHITE PLAINS); WITH NO PROBS. I LEFT WHITE PLAINS AT APPROX AB00 AND INSTEAD OF RETRACING MY RTE; I DECIDED TO TRAVEL S; OVER THE HUDSON RIVER THROUGH THE CORRIDOR; BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 1000 FT. I WAS NOT UNDER ANY FLT PLAN; AND I WAS MONITORING THE HELI FREQ 123.05 FOR ANY RIVER TFC. AT ABOUT AB15 WHILE TRAVELING S; I NOTICED A LARGE ACFT TRAVELING N AT ABOUT THE SAME ALT. AS I GOT CLOSER; I REALIZED THAT IT WAS A MIL ACFT WITH 2 SMALLER ACFT IN TRAIL; APPARENTLY IN A SIMULATED REFUELING EXERCISE. THAT ACFT WAS FOLLOWED BY 2 HELIS. I FELT THAT AT THAT POINT; TURNING AROUND WOULD HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE; SO I CONTINUED S; STAYING ALONG THE W SHORE; KEEPING A HEALTHY SEPARATION BTWN US. UPON REACHING ROBBINSVILLE; I CHKED THE NOTAMS AND FOUND THAT THE RIVER WAS CLOSED. I HAD NOT CHKED THE NOTAMS FOR THE RIVER EARLIER BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE MY INTENDED FLT. ONCE I FOUND MYSELF IN THIS POS; I ACTED ON WHAT I FELT WAS THE SAFEST SOLUTION. WHILE I WAS MONITORING 123.05; I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING UNUSUAL; IN FACT IT SOUNDED LIKE NORMAL HELI TFC. OBVIOUSLY; IF I HAD CHKED NOTAMS FOR THE RIVER; I WOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.