A C180 PLT DEPARTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LATEST INFO RECEIVED REGARDING THE LIFTING OF PART 91 FLT RESTRICTIONS. IT WAS LEARNED LATER THAT THE RESTRICTIONS HAD BEEN EXTENDED; RENDERING HIM IN VIOLATION OF THE RESTRICTION.

Date: 2001-09 · Aircraft: Cessna 180 Skywagon · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: airspace-violation-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|other-unauthorized-flt-nat-l-emer-ordered-to-land

Synopsis

A C180 PLT DEPARTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LATEST INFO RECEIVED REGARDING THE LIFTING OF PART 91 FLT RESTRICTIONS. IT WAS LEARNED LATER THAT THE RESTRICTIONS HAD BEEN EXTENDED; RENDERING HIM IN VIOLATION OF THE RESTRICTION.

Narrative

ON 9/THU/01 I CALLED SAINT LOUIS FLT SERVICE STATION REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE NATION'S AIRSPACE IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT ATTACKS ON THE TWIN TOWERS IN NY AND THE PENTAGON IN DC. THE FAA BRIEFER INFORMED ME THAT THE BAN ON THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE FOR GA ACFT HAS BEEN LIFTED AS OF XA00 CENTRAL TIME AND I WOULD BE GOOD TO GO ANYTIME AFTER THAT TIME. I REQUESTED A WX BRIEFING FOR MY ROUTE OF FLT THRU MY DESTINATION OF ANNAPOLIS; MD. I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY NOTAMS PERTINENT TO MY ROUTE OF FLT. I THEN ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY SPECIAL PROCEDURE I NEEDED TO BE AWARE OF OR FOLLOW IN ORDER TO GO TO ANNAPOLIS IN LIGHT OF THE SENSITIVE AREA I WAS RETURNING TO. HE INFORMED ME THAT 'NO THE AIRSPACE HAS BEEN OPENED TO EVERYONE; WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.' I THANKED HIM AND TOLD HIM I WOULD GIVE A PLT REPORT IF I ENCOUNTERED ANY WX. MY WIFE AND I DROVE TO THE ARPT AND DEPARTED ABOUT TWO HRS AFTER RECEIVING MY CLRNC. FOUR HRS AND FIFTY MINS LATER OVER MARTINSBURG ARPT TWO F16S FLEW BY ON MY L. I CALLED MARTINSBURG TWR; REQUESTED PERMISSION TO LAND. AFTER LNDG MY WIFE AND I WERE HANDCUFFED BY THE NATIONAL GUARD UNTIL THE FBI GUY ARRIVED TWO HRS LATER; HE CALLED THE FAA. THE GENTLEMAN FROM THE FBI THEN TOLD THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THE MARTINSBURG SHERIFF THAT MY WIFE AND I HAD DONE NO WRONG AND THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FLY BY THE FAA. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE MASS CONFUSION AND FEAR AFTER THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON DC AND NY.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.