Narrative:

I received a WX brief for intentions to fly to train wreck approximately 10 mi north of leadville, co, from denver. Briefing stated VFR not recommended although many reporting stations were reporting 1800 ft ceilings with 5 mi visibility. Reports of moderate turbulence and icing in clouds. No mention of any tfr's (temperature flight restrs). I have extensive experience in the colorado mountains and decided to try to fly to the train wreck site. Flight conditions en route were 10 mi visibility with ceilings of 15000 ft with some mountain obscurement. After arriving at the train wreck site, a military uh-1 helicopter was circling low over the wreckage. I did not have any way to contact the uh-1 via radio, so I circled at approximately 2000 ft AGL until the uh-1 helicopter departed the area to the northeast. I descended to approximately 200 ft AGL circling the wreckage for video footage for approximately 3 mins. Local conditions were winds 080 degrees at approximately 30-40 KTS, 10+ visibility. I immediately departed the area to the east for the return flight to denver. After landing in denver, I was informed that some people who worked for the railroad were upset with our circling of the wreckage. I was never briefed on a tfr nor did FSS know if or when a tfr was posted. I never endangered anyone on the ground or in the air. I used good sound judgement during the flight. I feel the railroad was just embarrassed to get footage of their train wreck on television and tried to prevent me from doing my job of informing the public.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TV STATION HELI UNKNOWINGLY ENTERS A TEMPORARY FLT RESTR AREA AND TELEVISES A TRAIN WRECK FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A WX BRIEF FOR INTENTIONS TO FLY TO TRAIN WRECK APPROX 10 MI N OF LEADVILLE, CO, FROM DENVER. BRIEFING STATED VFR NOT RECOMMENDED ALTHOUGH MANY RPTING STATIONS WERE RPTING 1800 FT CEILINGS WITH 5 MI VISIBILITY. RPTS OF MODERATE TURB AND ICING IN CLOUDS. NO MENTION OF ANY TFR'S (TEMP FLT RESTRS). I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS AND DECIDED TO TRY TO FLY TO THE TRAIN WRECK SITE. FLT CONDITIONS ENRTE WERE 10 MI VISIBILITY WITH CEILINGS OF 15000 FT WITH SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE TRAIN WRECK SITE, A MIL UH-1 HELI WAS CIRCLING LOW OVER THE WRECKAGE. I DID NOT HAVE ANY WAY TO CONTACT THE UH-1 VIA RADIO, SO I CIRCLED AT APPROX 2000 FT AGL UNTIL THE UH-1 HELI DEPARTED THE AREA TO THE NE. I DSNDED TO APPROX 200 FT AGL CIRCLING THE WRECKAGE FOR VIDEO FOOTAGE FOR APPROX 3 MINS. LCL CONDITIONS WERE WINDS 080 DEGS AT APPROX 30-40 KTS, 10+ VISIBILITY. I IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED THE AREA TO THE E FOR THE RETURN FLT TO DENVER. AFTER LNDG IN DENVER, I WAS INFORMED THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD WERE UPSET WITH OUR CIRCLING OF THE WRECKAGE. I WAS NEVER BRIEFED ON A TFR NOR DID FSS KNOW IF OR WHEN A TFR WAS POSTED. I NEVER ENDANGERED ANYONE ON THE GND OR IN THE AIR. I USED GOOD SOUND JUDGEMENT DURING THE FLT. I FEEL THE RAILROAD WAS JUST EMBARRASSED TO GET FOOTAGE OF THEIR TRAIN WRECK ON TELEVISION AND TRIED TO PREVENT ME FROM DOING MY JOB OF INFORMING THE PUBLIC.

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.