Narrative:

I own an airplane that is hangared at the burlington, nc, airport. Due to work constraints, I have been unable to fly for over 1 month. I had been watching and listening to news reports since the world trade center/pentagon attack, and believe I heard that the VFR flight restr had been lifted. On a spur-of-the-moment decision, I called my FBO and had the airplane pulled from the hangar late in the afternoon of sep/xa/01. I did not get a WX briefing, as I intended to stay near the airport and the WX was excellent. The FBO personnel know I normally fly the airplane on business and usually file IFR, therefore, did not remind me of the VFR restr. I arrived at the airport after the FBO was closed. I did 6 takeoffs and lndgs, staying in the pattern at or below 1200 ft AGL. I noticed there was no other traffic at the airport, but attributed that to the late hour. I did hear other radio traffic suggesting VFR activity at nearby airports. I announced all entry onto the active runway, turns to base, and turns to final on CTAF (122.8). The next day I had a dental appointment and my dentist, a fellow pilot, informed me the VFR restr was still in place. After the dental appointment, I called the raleigh durham briefing line and heard the recording confirming the VFR restr. The briefer and his supervisor were not sure what I should do. The next day, I called the greensboro tower and informed them of my actions, and was told to call the greensboro FSDO. Mr X at FSDO suggested that I complete this report. Mr Y also informed me that VFR restr violations were being handled by local law enforcement officials and, since I had not been contacted, there would probably be no further action regarding this incident. I trusted public media regarding VFR flight restrs. I failed to call FSS prior to VFR flight, even though I knew there was a recent prohibition on VFR flight. The FBO personnel failed to inform me of the active VFR flight restr. They have no obligation to do so, but typically volunteer helpful information. I misinterped the absence of flight activity at the airport. My corrective action will consist of calling the raleigh durham FSS before each flight, including local VFR flts. I informed the FBO of my mistake, in the hope they will take a more active role in preventing additional occurrences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH 33 PLT MADE 2 VFR TKOFS AND LNDGS IN THE PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT ALL VFR TFC WAS PROHIBITED.

Narrative: I OWN AN AIRPLANE THAT IS HANGARED AT THE BURLINGTON, NC, ARPT. DUE TO WORK CONSTRAINTS, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FLY FOR OVER 1 MONTH. I HAD BEEN WATCHING AND LISTENING TO NEWS RPTS SINCE THE WORLD TRADE CENTER/PENTAGON ATTACK, AND BELIEVE I HEARD THAT THE VFR FLT RESTR HAD BEEN LIFTED. ON A SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT DECISION, I CALLED MY FBO AND HAD THE AIRPLANE PULLED FROM THE HANGAR LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF SEP/XA/01. I DID NOT GET A WX BRIEFING, AS I INTENDED TO STAY NEAR THE ARPT AND THE WX WAS EXCELLENT. THE FBO PERSONNEL KNOW I NORMALLY FLY THE AIRPLANE ON BUSINESS AND USUALLY FILE IFR, THEREFORE, DID NOT REMIND ME OF THE VFR RESTR. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AFTER THE FBO WAS CLOSED. I DID 6 TKOFS AND LNDGS, STAYING IN THE PATTERN AT OR BELOW 1200 FT AGL. I NOTICED THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC AT THE ARPT, BUT ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE LATE HR. I DID HEAR OTHER RADIO TFC SUGGESTING VFR ACTIVITY AT NEARBY ARPTS. I ANNOUNCED ALL ENTRY ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY, TURNS TO BASE, AND TURNS TO FINAL ON CTAF (122.8). THE NEXT DAY I HAD A DENTAL APPOINTMENT AND MY DENTIST, A FELLOW PLT, INFORMED ME THE VFR RESTR WAS STILL IN PLACE. AFTER THE DENTAL APPOINTMENT, I CALLED THE RALEIGH DURHAM BRIEFING LINE AND HEARD THE RECORDING CONFIRMING THE VFR RESTR. THE BRIEFER AND HIS SUPVR WERE NOT SURE WHAT I SHOULD DO. THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED THE GREENSBORO TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF MY ACTIONS, AND WAS TOLD TO CALL THE GREENSBORO FSDO. MR X AT FSDO SUGGESTED THAT I COMPLETE THIS RPT. MR Y ALSO INFORMED ME THAT VFR RESTR VIOLATIONS WERE BEING HANDLED BY LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND, SINCE I HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NO FURTHER ACTION REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. I TRUSTED PUBLIC MEDIA REGARDING VFR FLT RESTRS. I FAILED TO CALL FSS PRIOR TO VFR FLT, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THERE WAS A RECENT PROHIBITION ON VFR FLT. THE FBO PERSONNEL FAILED TO INFORM ME OF THE ACTIVE VFR FLT RESTR. THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DO SO, BUT TYPICALLY VOLUNTEER HELPFUL INFO. I MISINTERPED THE ABSENCE OF FLT ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT. MY CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL CONSIST OF CALLING THE RALEIGH DURHAM FSS BEFORE EACH FLT, INCLUDING LCL VFR FLTS. I INFORMED THE FBO OF MY MISTAKE, IN THE HOPE THEY WILL TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN PREVENTING ADDITIONAL OCCURRENCES.

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.