Narrative:

I was aware of the tfr when I was planning to depart pie. I contacted clearance delivery requesting a VFR clearance to lal. Clearance delivery stated the tfr was in effect and they would need to vector me around to the south over srq. I responded with words to the effect of 'no problem. I want to do whatever it taes to follow the rules.' I was given a discrete squaw and vectors and departed pie uneventfully. I was vectored appropriately around to the south of the tfr. The tfr was located at macdill AFB, I am very familiar with the area, and was following my flight on two when I was southeast of the tfr, I was on an assigned vector of 080 degrees at 3500 ft MSL. The tampa approach controller stated words to the effect of 'cleared direct laeland, remain clear of the tfr, class B and class C. Squaw 1200, contact laeland tower.' from my assigned heading of 080 degrees, lal was bearing 025 degrees. I switched autoplt to navigation from heading, the aircraft turned 55 degrees left direct laeland. I switched my squaw and began pulling up, lal ATIS. I also thought it was strange the controller had me switch my squaw since I thought I needed to maintain a discrete, but I did not question it. I new this direct clearance would put me close to the tfr. I then pushed the 'nrst' button on the GPS, entered macdill AFB and discovered I was 27 NM from macdill (the tfr ring is 30 NM). (I also noted I had inadvertently switched to a squaw of XXXX, and fixed it to 1200). I contacted the tower at lal. Tower informed me I needed to contact approach and I needed a discrete squaw. Lal told me to stand by, remain clear, then came bac up and contact approach. Approach 119.9, a different frequency because I was unable to get a response on the last frequency. The new controller gave me a discrete code and clearance to lal, switch tower. The approach and landing were uneventful. While on ground I was given a phone number to tampa approach. I immediately contacted tampa approach and was told I had violated the tfr by 'at least 5 mi.' 1) I felt I complied completely with the controller's instructions. When I quicly learned I was inside the 30 NM tfr, turned right to remain clear. 2) I thought I should have maintained a discrete squaw to lal. In this instance a clearance of 'cleared direct, remain clear of tfr' is misleading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20 GIVEN 'DIRECT TO' CLRNC BY APCH CTLR ENTERS PRESIDENTIAL TFR NEAR TPA.

Narrative: I WAS AWARE OF THE TFR WHEN I WAS PLANNING TO DEPART PIE. I CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY REQUESTING A VFR CLRNC TO LAL. CLRNC DELIVERY STATED THE TFR WAS IN EFFECT AND THEY WOULD NEED TO VECTOR ME AROUND TO THE S OVER SRQ. I RESPONDED WITH WORDS TO THE EFFECT OF 'NO PROB. I WANT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAES TO FOLLOW THE RULES.' I WAS GIVEN A DISCRETE SQUAW AND VECTORS AND DEPARTED PIE UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS VECTORED APPROPRIATELY AROUND TO THE S OF THE TFR. THE TFR WAS LOCATED AT MACDILL AFB, I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND WAS FOLLOWING MY FLT ON TWO WHEN I WAS SE OF THE TFR, I WAS ON AN ASSIGNED VECTOR OF 080 DEGS AT 3500 FT MSL. THE TAMPA APCH CTLR STATED WORDS TO THE EFFECT OF 'CLRED DIRECT LAELAND, REMAIN CLR OF THE TFR, CLASS B AND CLASS C. SQUAW 1200, CONTACT LAELAND TWR.' FROM MY ASSIGNED HDG OF 080 DEGS, LAL WAS BEARING 025 DEGS. I SWITCHED AUTOPLT TO NAV FROM HDG, THE ACFT TURNED 55 DEGS L DIRECT LAELAND. I SWITCHED MY SQUAW AND BEGAN PULLING UP, LAL ATIS. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THE CTLR HAD ME SWITCH MY SQUAW SINCE I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO MAINTAIN A DISCRETE, BUT I DID NOT QUESTION IT. I NEW THIS DIRECT CLRNC WOULD PUT ME CLOSE TO THE TFR. I THEN PUSHED THE 'NRST' BUTTON ON THE GPS, ENTERED MACDILL AFB AND DISCOVERED I WAS 27 NM FROM MACDILL (THE TFR RING IS 30 NM). (I ALSO NOTED I HAD INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED TO A SQUAW OF XXXX, AND FIXED IT TO 1200). I CONTACTED THE TWR AT LAL. TWR INFORMED ME I NEEDED TO CONTACT APCH AND I NEEDED A DISCRETE SQUAW. LAL TOLD ME TO STAND BY, REMAIN CLR, THEN CAME BAC UP AND CONTACT APCH. APCH 119.9, A DIFFERENT FREQ BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE ON THE LAST FREQ. THE NEW CTLR GAVE ME A DISCRETE CODE AND CLRNC TO LAL, SWITCH TWR. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. WHILE ON GND I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO TAMPA APCH. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED TAMPA APCH AND WAS TOLD I HAD VIOLATED THE TFR BY 'AT LEAST 5 MI.' 1) I FELT I COMPLIED COMPLETELY WITH THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN I QUICLY LEARNED I WAS INSIDE THE 30 NM TFR, TURNED R TO REMAIN CLR. 2) I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED A DISCRETE SQUAW TO LAL. IN THIS INSTANCE A CLRNC OF 'CLRED DIRECT, REMAIN CLR OF TFR' IS MISLEADING.

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.