Narrative:

A new GPS had been installed on the aircraft and the flight was conducted for the purpose of becoming familiar with the GPS operation before using this GPS on an IFR flight plan. A WX briefing was obtained before the flight via the internet showing an unlimited ceiling and visibility greater than 6 mi. Notice of the expansion of the tfr in the hagerstown/thurmont area was received via an e-mail from the FAA eastern region 4 days earlier. I am on the FAA e-mail list primarily so that I can monitor tfr's. In preparation for the flight, I studied the VFR terminal area chart for baltimore-washington and planned a route from fdk to mrb VOR to hgr VOR to fdk. Based on my study of the chart, I believed the route would keep me well outside the expanded tfr. However, I now realize that I misread the chart and that the leg from hgr VOR to fdk entered the expanded tfr. I was confused by the chart which shows inner and outer rings around P-40. While I now know that the inner ring depicts P-40 and the outer ring depicts R-4009, when I looked at the chart before the flight, I misunderstood and thought the outer ring was P-40 expanded to the 10 NM. While I accept ultimate responsibility for the navigation error, I also believe that the government charting contributed to the incident. Specifically, I feel I was misled by the use of 2 concentric rings around P-40 on the chart which I confused with the normal P-40 and the expanded tfr. The 10 mi expanded tfr, even if only temporary, should be shown on the charts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SOCATA TB20 MISINTERPS VFR CHARTS REGARDING P-40 AND ENTERS THE AREA IN ITS EXPANDED MODE WHICH IS NOT SHOWN ON THE CHARTS.

Narrative: A NEW GPS HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE ACFT AND THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE GPS OP BEFORE USING THIS GPS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. A WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED BEFORE THE FLT VIA THE INTERNET SHOWING AN UNLIMITED CEILING AND VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 6 MI. NOTICE OF THE EXPANSION OF THE TFR IN THE HAGERSTOWN/THURMONT AREA WAS RECEIVED VIA AN E-MAIL FROM THE FAA EASTERN REGION 4 DAYS EARLIER. I AM ON THE FAA E-MAIL LIST PRIMARILY SO THAT I CAN MONITOR TFR'S. IN PREPARATION FOR THE FLT, I STUDIED THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART FOR BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON AND PLANNED A RTE FROM FDK TO MRB VOR TO HGR VOR TO FDK. BASED ON MY STUDY OF THE CHART, I BELIEVED THE RTE WOULD KEEP ME WELL OUTSIDE THE EXPANDED TFR. HOWEVER, I NOW REALIZE THAT I MISREAD THE CHART AND THAT THE LEG FROM HGR VOR TO FDK ENTERED THE EXPANDED TFR. I WAS CONFUSED BY THE CHART WHICH SHOWS INNER AND OUTER RINGS AROUND P-40. WHILE I NOW KNOW THAT THE INNER RING DEPICTS P-40 AND THE OUTER RING DEPICTS R-4009, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE CHART BEFORE THE FLT, I MISUNDERSTOOD AND THOUGHT THE OUTER RING WAS P-40 EXPANDED TO THE 10 NM. WHILE I ACCEPT ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE NAV ERROR, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE GOV CHARTING CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. SPECIFICALLY, I FEEL I WAS MISLED BY THE USE OF 2 CONCENTRIC RINGS AROUND P-40 ON THE CHART WHICH I CONFUSED WITH THE NORMAL P-40 AND THE EXPANDED TFR. THE 10 MI EXPANDED TFR, EVEN IF ONLY TEMPORARY, SHOULD BE SHOWN ON THE CHARTS.

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.