Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90; Flight Crew Total 12000; Flight Crew Type 4000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Human Factors
Flying Electronic News Gathering we were sent up to near the state border to a very small town for a bank robbery. We launched almost immediately to go flyover the scene for the TV station. Before we departed I did not check for TFR's but did check weather considering I did turn down the flight earlier in the day for less than ideal flying conditions. We were over the scene for about 30 minutes and judging by the seriousness of what took place I did maintain a higher than normal altitude but was limited to the ceilings of about 1;700 FT MSL at the time. Upon my return I was notified by a fellow pilot about the TFR and after I returned I checked the FAA website and the TFR was in place. I operate with a 496 Garmin GPS with TFR information and it showed nothing in the vicinity and this feature has not let me down in the past. I was surprised not only by the nature of the TFR; its' location; and not showing up on the GPS that it existed at all. I will from now on make sure I check for TFR's before each flight and not rely on the GPS for that information.
Helicopter pilot reports discovering after landing that he had been operating in a TFR. A 496 Garmin GPS with TFR information was in use during the flight and did not show the TFR.