Narrative:

On 9/fri/01, I received a briefing, and departed waynesboro eagles nest airport (W13), as one of a flight of four for tappahannock airport (W79), for dinner. This has been a normal occurrence with approximately eight different planes/pilots 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 south as we approached the louisa airport (lku). The track was direct from W13, to 1.5 NM south of louisa (lku), direct lake anna (7w4), direct W79. This track put us exactly 5 NM south 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 flight continued in a normal fashion to tappahannock airport. 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 power 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 information. The chief expressed the concern of the pilots to the FAA concerning the return trip that was going to take place, back to W13. He was asked to relay we remain well west of the louisa area. On the return trip, each of us asked richmond approach for, and received flight following to remove any doubt as to our intentions. I proceeded direct to hanover county (ofp) airport 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 flight following on the way down, as a flight of four aircraft caused concern in the area of the power plant. Then our intentions would have been better understood by those not used to seeing the flight of several aircraft do the round trip run from W13 to W79 and back.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 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.

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.