Narrative:

While working as a news gathering helicopter pilot for a national broadcasting affiliate covering a shooting in the area described, all aircraft were asked to vacate the area, which I complied. The next day a restr area was posted for that general area. I tried to make contact with the proper auths via the published telephone numbers in the NOTAMS with no avail. I therefore notified the flight service stations of millville, nj, and williamsport, PA, that the numbers were incorrect or did not answer. Then I stated my situation and filed a flight plan under far 91.137. I also made numerous calls to the state police of PA and local police involved with the shooting. No agency was available for assistance, they, the agencies, just passed the 'buck' so to speak. I therefore asked the news station to try to pursue some cooperation from the controling police agencies so as to get some communications. The police would not cooperate according to my contact at the news station. I spoke to the flight service supervisor in williamsport and explained my dilemma. The supervisor stated he thought the police could not prohibit me from flying to cover the news. I filed a flight in accordance with far part 91.137 each time I entered that area. I also asked both FSS to save the tapes on all my conversations and flight plans of these going ONS. It appears to me if the proper telephone numbers would be provided and a contact person willing to communicate and cooperate this type of situation could be avoided. I am a member of a pilot's association and we have been trying to get washington (FAA) to listen to us and work out some type of fair and equitable solution to such happenings. My telephone bill will reflect the other numerous telephone calls made trying to obtain help or information so as to get some type of cooperation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY RESTR AREA. NOTAMS AND INCORRECT TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING AS A NEWS GATHERING HELI PLT FOR A NATIONAL BROADCASTING AFFILIATE COVERING A SHOOTING IN THE AREA DESCRIBED, ALL ACFT WERE ASKED TO VACATE THE AREA, WHICH I COMPLIED. THE NEXT DAY A RESTR AREA WAS POSTED FOR THAT GENERAL AREA. I TRIED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PROPER AUTHS VIA THE PUBLISHED TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN THE NOTAMS WITH NO AVAIL. I THEREFORE NOTIFIED THE FLT SVC STATIONS OF MILLVILLE, NJ, AND WILLIAMSPORT, PA, THAT THE NUMBERS WERE INCORRECT OR DID NOT ANSWER. THEN I STATED MY SIT AND FILED A FLT PLAN UNDER FAR 91.137. I ALSO MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO THE STATE POLICE OF PA AND LCL POLICE INVOLVED WITH THE SHOOTING. NO AGENCY WAS AVAILABLE FOR ASSISTANCE, THEY, THE AGENCIES, JUST PASSED THE 'BUCK' SO TO SPEAK. I THEREFORE ASKED THE NEWS STATION TO TRY TO PURSUE SOME COOPERATION FROM THE CTLING POLICE AGENCIES SO AS TO GET SOME COMS. THE POLICE WOULD NOT COOPERATE ACCORDING TO MY CONTACT AT THE NEWS STATION. I SPOKE TO THE FLT SVC SUPVR IN WILLIAMSPORT AND EXPLAINED MY DILEMMA. THE SUPVR STATED HE THOUGHT THE POLICE COULD NOT PROHIBIT ME FROM FLYING TO COVER THE NEWS. I FILED A FLT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR PART 91.137 EACH TIME I ENTERED THAT AREA. I ALSO ASKED BOTH FSS TO SAVE THE TAPES ON ALL MY CONVERSATIONS AND FLT PLANS OF THESE GOING ONS. IT APPEARS TO ME IF THE PROPER TELEPHONE NUMBERS WOULD BE PROVIDED AND A CONTACT PERSON WILLING TO COMMUNICATE AND COOPERATE THIS TYPE OF SIT COULD BE AVOIDED. I AM A MEMBER OF A PLT'S ASSOCIATION AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET WASHINGTON (FAA) TO LISTEN TO US AND WORK OUT SOME TYPE OF FAIR AND EQUITABLE SOLUTION TO SUCH HAPPENINGS. MY TELEPHONE BILL WILL REFLECT THE OTHER NUMEROUS TELEPHONE CALLS MADE TRYING TO OBTAIN HELP OR INFO SO AS TO GET SOME TYPE OF COOPERATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.