Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 3.5; Flight Crew Total 1162; Flight Crew Type 707
Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Flight Crew Exited Penetrated Airspace
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
I planned to fly to Lawrence Co.; AL (9A4) to practice a few landings. I went into the FBO a short time before departure and checked the weather; NOTAMs; and TFRs on their computer for 9A4. I saw a NOTAM concerning preparations on the ramp for an airshow; but did not see a date on it. I did not find any TFR or restrictions related to an actual airshow. I had seen an advertisement for the airshow a few weeks before and thought it was for the following weekend; but was not sure about that; and also thought it said it would end before my arrival. Once I had the plane prepped for departure; I turned on my iPad and its connected ADS-B receiver and selected 9A4 airport for review. I verified that radar and TFR's were selected on the map menu. I saw a lot of precipitation on the map; at least 100 miles to the south; but no TFR's were displayed. I got VFR clearance from Tower and departed toward 9A4 at 3;000 FT MSL. I began monitoring the 9A4 AWOS maybe 10 miles away and there was no mention of an airshow on the frequency. The Departure Controller never mentioned one either; but they normally do so if something is going on in the direction you are departing. I began descending from 3;000 FT MSL maybe 10 miles away from 9A4 and was probably approaching 2;000 FT as I got near there. The Controller released me shortly before I arrived at 9A4 and I immediately made a radio announcement on the 9A4 frequency that I was inbound to 9A4. A man replied on the radio and advised me the airport was closed for an airshow and that nobody was flying at the time. I told him that I had not seen any airplanes flying as I approached and that I thought the airshow was to end a half hour an hour before and he said there would be one more performance a half hour later. I told him that I would continue on around the airport and go south toward Cullman; AL. (3A1); which I did. I normally look at the graphical TFR's online before I leave home for the airport to go flying. Due to low ceilings in the area until mid-afternoon; I did not think I would be able to go flying when I left home; so I only looked at the ADDS weather and did not look for TFR's. By the time I arrived at the airport; the weather was clear. If I could have flown earlier; I planned to fly east into Georgia; but since it was so late when the weather cleared; I decided to go to 9A4 which was much clearer. I often go there to practice landings and occasionally refuel there. I am not sure what else could have been done to prevent this situation. There should have been a TFR for the airshow; but when I checked the 2 available sources of information that I had at the airport; I did not see one. If I had any confidence that the weather was going to improve later; I would have definitely checked for TFRs online before leaving home. Apparently that is what I should do every time I leave for the airport even when I do not think the weather will allow VFR flight. Maybe I did not study all the information closely enough on the computer at the FBO and missed something about an airshow at 9A4 that day as I scrolled through it; but I thought I looked at everything it showed. I need to make a point to look through such information at least twice in the future. I did not know why a TFR did not show up on the iPad; if there was one in place for the airshow; I should have queried ATC about a possible airshow instead of expecting them to advise me of one. This was the first time in many years of flying that I flew into an area that I should not have entered.
C182 pilot reports inadvertently entering a TFR established for an airshow that was not published as a NOTAM and did not appear on an iPad with ADS-B.