Small aircraft GA VFR flight. No flight plan. Pilot thinks may have penetrated arsa and restricted a...

Attributes
ACN	107546
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : bdr
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	107546
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a VFR trip from salisbury, md, to york, PA, I mistook a VFR landmark and inadvertently entered the bwi arsa. I was called out of bed to go on this trip (with 20 mins from phone call to airport arrival). The plane was ready and I jumped in and estimated my course en route. I flew north on a course of 355 degrees at 2000' MSL to avoid strong northeast winds at altitude. I reached what I believed was the elk neck peninsula in the northern chesapeake bay (a point at which R4001A is cleared and a turn to a westerly direction is permissible). I turned to a heading of 300 degrees to navigation toward york. I must have misjudged my landmarks and the winds in part due to haze, fatigue and ill preparation. I therefore turned too soon and penetrated the bwi arsa and possible R4001B before I realized my mistake. I was not in radio contact with bwi since I anticipated being well to the northeast of the arsa. I reoriented myself to the westminster VOR and continued northward from the VOR. The flight was safely and uneventfully terminated at york airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA GA VFR FLT. NO FLT PLAN. PLT THINKS MAY HAVE PENETRATED ARSA AND RESTRICTED AREA. NO CONFLICTS.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VFR TRIP FROM SALISBURY, MD, TO YORK, PA, I MISTOOK A VFR LANDMARK AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE BWI ARSA. I WAS CALLED OUT OF BED TO GO ON THIS TRIP (WITH 20 MINS FROM PHONE CALL TO ARPT ARR). THE PLANE WAS READY AND I JUMPED IN AND ESTIMATED MY COURSE ENRTE. I FLEW N ON A COURSE OF 355 DEGS AT 2000' MSL TO AVOID STRONG NE WINDS AT ALT. I REACHED WHAT I BELIEVED WAS THE ELK NECK PENINSULA IN THE NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY (A POINT AT WHICH R4001A IS CLRED AND A TURN TO A WESTERLY DIRECTION IS PERMISSIBLE). I TURNED TO A HDG OF 300 DEGS TO NAV TOWARD YORK. I MUST HAVE MISJUDGED MY LANDMARKS AND THE WINDS IN PART DUE TO HAZE, FATIGUE AND ILL PREPARATION. I THEREFORE TURNED TOO SOON AND PENETRATED THE BWI ARSA AND POSSIBLE R4001B BEFORE I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH BWI SINCE I ANTICIPATED BEING WELL TO THE NE OF THE ARSA. I REORIENTED MYSELF TO THE WESTMINSTER VOR AND CONTINUED NORTHWARD FROM THE VOR. THE FLT WAS SAFELY AND UNEVENTFULLY TERMINATED AT YORK ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Small aircraft GA VFR flight. No flight plan. Pilot thinks may have penetrated arsa and restricted area. No conflicts.