Narrative:

In the week prior to a planned flight from 1n1 to skx, I heard conflicting reports from various sources concerning the tfr along my planned route. I was aware that I would need a tfr briefing prior to my flight. At approximately XA00 may/sat/03, I contacted abq flight service for my WX and tfr briefing. I was advised that there had been many changes, but that if I proceeded to cochiti lake and then north over the rio grande, that I would be well clear of the tfr. No mention was made of a need to monitor 121.5, to contact ZAB, or to file a flight plan. At the approximately location of 14 NM from the saf VOR on the 314 degree radial at 9500 ft, while monitoring los alamos (lam) unicom for traffic, I was intercepted by a large khaki colored helicopter marked 'police.' my first thought was they were patrolling the area of the tfr. I didn't think that it had anything to do with my presence, because I felt very secure in the knowledge that I was clear of the tfr. I was remaining over the southerly approach to the los alamos airport, had just passed the 'radio-telescope.' there was los alamos traffic sbound at 9000 ft. I had a brief radio exchange with this pilot for traffic avoidance. Coinciding with my communication with los alamos traffic, I noticed that the uniformed men in the helicopter were holding up a sign with the frequency 121.5 written on it. I turned to that frequency and began my communication with them. Their first communication with me was, 'turn immediately to a heading of 270 degrees. You have busted a tfr and may be shot down.' while turning to 270 degrees, I transmitted to them that I followed the FSS instructions regarding remaining over the rio grande, and did not believe I had busted the tfr. They repeated their transmission. Among my concerns at this heading was my awareness of the los alamos restr area (R-5101) and of the high mountainous terrain ahead of me. I mentioned both of these concerns to the helicopter, and that I might need to change altitude. Their response was, 'stand by.' very shortly, my GPS indicated that I was indeed in the los alamos restr area. Their next transmission after flying west 5 mi, I could continue on course. I exited the north boundary of the los alamos restr area. Upon arriving at taos municipal, I learned from the FBO that a government agent would be getting a report from me. A call from the secret service stated that I had not busted the tfr and that no report would be necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT WAS INTERCEPTED BY A POLICE HELI AND ORDERED TO TURN INTO R-5101 UNDER THREAT OF BEING SHOT DOWN. THE POLICE HELI WAS 'PROTECTING' A TFR, BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE, OR WHERE THE TFR AREA WAS.

Narrative: IN THE WEEK PRIOR TO A PLANNED FLT FROM 1N1 TO SKX, I HEARD CONFLICTING RPTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES CONCERNING THE TFR ALONG MY PLANNED RTE. I WAS AWARE THAT I WOULD NEED A TFR BRIEFING PRIOR TO MY FLT. AT APPROX XA00 MAY/SAT/03, I CONTACTED ABQ FLT SVC FOR MY WX AND TFR BRIEFING. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MANY CHANGES, BUT THAT IF I PROCEEDED TO COCHITI LAKE AND THEN N OVER THE RIO GRANDE, THAT I WOULD BE WELL CLR OF THE TFR. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF A NEED TO MONITOR 121.5, TO CONTACT ZAB, OR TO FILE A FLT PLAN. AT THE APPROX LOCATION OF 14 NM FROM THE SAF VOR ON THE 314 DEG RADIAL AT 9500 FT, WHILE MONITORING LOS ALAMOS (LAM) UNICOM FOR TFC, I WAS INTERCEPTED BY A LARGE KHAKI COLORED HELI MARKED 'POLICE.' MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THEY WERE PATROLLING THE AREA OF THE TFR. I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY PRESENCE, BECAUSE I FELT VERY SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS CLR OF THE TFR. I WAS REMAINING OVER THE SOUTHERLY APCH TO THE LOS ALAMOS ARPT, HAD JUST PASSED THE 'RADIO-TELESCOPE.' THERE WAS LOS ALAMOS TFC SBOUND AT 9000 FT. I HAD A BRIEF RADIO EXCHANGE WITH THIS PLT FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. COINCIDING WITH MY COM WITH LOS ALAMOS TFC, I NOTICED THAT THE UNIFORMED MEN IN THE HELI WERE HOLDING UP A SIGN WITH THE FREQ 121.5 WRITTEN ON IT. I TURNED TO THAT FREQ AND BEGAN MY COM WITH THEM. THEIR FIRST COM WITH ME WAS, 'TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A HEADING OF 270 DEGS. YOU HAVE BUSTED A TFR AND MAY BE SHOT DOWN.' WHILE TURNING TO 270 DEGS, I XMITTED TO THEM THAT I FOLLOWED THE FSS INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING REMAINING OVER THE RIO GRANDE, AND DID NOT BELIEVE I HAD BUSTED THE TFR. THEY REPEATED THEIR XMISSION. AMONG MY CONCERNS AT THIS HEADING WAS MY AWARENESS OF THE LOS ALAMOS RESTR AREA (R-5101) AND OF THE HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AHEAD OF ME. I MENTIONED BOTH OF THESE CONCERNS TO THE HELI, AND THAT I MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE ALT. THEIR RESPONSE WAS, 'STAND BY.' VERY SHORTLY, MY GPS INDICATED THAT I WAS INDEED IN THE LOS ALAMOS RESTR AREA. THEIR NEXT XMISSION AFTER FLYING W 5 MI, I COULD CONTINUE ON COURSE. I EXITED THE N BOUNDARY OF THE LOS ALAMOS RESTR AREA. UPON ARRIVING AT TAOS MUNICIPAL, I LEARNED FROM THE FBO THAT A GOV AGENT WOULD BE GETTING A RPT FROM ME. A CALL FROM THE SECRET SVC STATED THAT I HAD NOT BUSTED THE TFR AND THAT NO RPT WOULD BE NECESSARY.

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.