FLT OF 4 SMA ACFT PLTS FLY TOO CLOSE TO AN NUCLEAR PWR PLANT ON VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLT. NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAD LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEET PLTS AFTER LNDG.

2001-09 · NASA ASRS report 525686

Date: 2001-09 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear · Phase: approach

Anomalies: airspace-violation-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

FLT OF 4 SMA ACFT PLTS FLY TOO CLOSE TO AN NUCLEAR PWR PLANT ON VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLT. NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAD LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEET PLTS AFTER LNDG.

Narrative

ON 9/FRI/01; I RECEIVED A BRIEFING; AND DEPARTED WAYNESBORO EAGLES NEST ARPT (W13); AS ONE OF A FLT OF FOUR FOR TAPPAHANNOCK ARPT (W79); FOR DINNER. THIS HAS BEEN A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WITH APPROX EIGHT DIFFERENT PLANES/PLTS FROM W13 OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. EACH OF US HAD A GPS ON BOARD; AND THE USUAL ROUTE IS DIRECT. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT NOTAM;1/0617;PART II; WE DISCUSSED STAYING FURTHER TO THE S AS WE APCHED THE LOUISA ARPT (LKU). THE TRACK WAS DIRECT FROM W13; TO 1.5 NM S OF LOUISA (LKU); DIRECT LAKE ANNA (7W4); DIRECT W79. THIS TRACK PUT US EXACTLY 5 NM S OF THE LOUISA NUCLEAR POWER STATION. THE NOTAM STATED WE WERE TO 'AVOID THE AIRSPACE ABOVE; OR IN PROXIMITY TO...' AND 'NOT CIRCLE AS TO LOITER IN THE VICINITY OF...' WE FELT WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE INTENT OF THE NOTAM. THE FLT CONTINUED IN A NORMAL FASHION TO TAPPAHANNOCK ARPT. DURING DINNER THE LOCAL CITY POLICE CHIEF ARRIVED AT THE RESTAURANT AND REQUESTED THE PILOTS TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO HIS CAR. HE HAD RECEIVED A CALL FROM CUSTOMS; OUT OF RIVERSIDE; CA THAT FOUR PLANES HAD PASSED WITHIN 1.8 NM OF THE LOUISA NUCLEAR PWR STATION. WE EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE NOT THAT CLOSE. MOREOVER; THE NOTAM DID NOT STATE A SPECIFIC DISTANCE TO REMAIN FROM THE POWER PLANT. WE NEVER VARIED OUR COURSE; NOR OUR 3500 FT MSL ALTITUDE. THE POLICE CHIEF THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FAA; WHICH REQUESTED OUR DRIVER'S LICENSE INFO. THE CHIEF EXPRESSED THE CONCERN OF THE PLTS TO THE FAA CONCERNING THE RETURN TRIP THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE; BACK TO W13. HE WAS ASKED TO RELAY WE REMAIN WELL W OF THE LOUISA AREA. ON THE RETURN TRIP; EACH OF US ASKED RICHMOND APCH FOR; AND RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING TO REMOVE ANY DOUBT AS TO OUR INTENTIONS. I PROCEEDED DIRECT TO HANOVER COUNTY (OFP) ARPT FROM W79 AND THEN DIRECT TO W13; MY HOME BASE. IN REFLECTION OF THE EVENING; IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT EVENTS; I COULD HAVE ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING ON THE WAY DOWN; AS A FLT OF FOUR ACFT CAUSED CONCERN IN THE AREA OF THE PWR PLANT. THEN OUR INTENTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE NOT USED TO SEEING THE FLT OF SEVERAL ACFT DO THE ROUND TRIP RUN FROM W13 TO W79 AND BACK.

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

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