Erroneous penetration of arsa.

Attributes
ACN	109542
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe
Operator	general aviation : personal
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 : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 202 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	109542
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed N07 for VFR flight to N43. NOTAMS indicated hard surface runway closed, however I was interested to see the local area for personal reasons. I intended to fly this short, 40 NM trip by VOR navigation. Flying direct to bwz VOR, I tuned, idented and received the anticipated radial. About 15 mins into the flight I lost the signal. I climbed from 2500' MSL to 3500' MSL, thinking that the line of sight was interrupted by the local geography. The signal did not come back. I tuned to a variety of other stations and received weak and unreliable responses. I then tried my second navigation VOR receiver and received a positive response. Xchking other VOR stations on navigation 2 displayed my position south of my intended course and possibly in allentown arsa. I immediately descended below the arsa controled airspace and reversed course. I idented the problem to be 2-FOLD. My slow response to make use of my second navigation radio and my lack of preflight planning in estimating ground speeds which, by the clock, would have alerted me to the distance I had traveled. I have learned that thorough preflight planning is essential even on short pleasure flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF ARSA.

Narrative: DEPARTED N07 FOR VFR FLT TO N43. NOTAMS INDICATED HARD SURFACE RWY CLOSED, HOWEVER I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE THE LCL AREA FOR PERSONAL REASONS. I INTENDED TO FLY THIS SHORT, 40 NM TRIP BY VOR NAV. FLYING DIRECT TO BWZ VOR, I TUNED, IDENTED AND RECEIVED THE ANTICIPATED RADIAL. ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE FLT I LOST THE SIGNAL. I CLBED FROM 2500' MSL TO 3500' MSL, THINKING THAT THE LINE OF SIGHT WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE LCL GEOGRAPHY. THE SIGNAL DID NOT COME BACK. I TUNED TO A VARIETY OF OTHER STATIONS AND RECEIVED WEAK AND UNRELIABLE RESPONSES. I THEN TRIED MY SECOND NAV VOR RECEIVER AND RECEIVED A POSITIVE RESPONSE. XCHKING OTHER VOR STATIONS ON NAV 2 DISPLAYED MY POS S OF MY INTENDED COURSE AND POSSIBLY IN ALLENTOWN ARSA. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BELOW THE ARSA CTLED AIRSPACE AND REVERSED COURSE. I IDENTED THE PROB TO BE 2-FOLD. MY SLOW RESPONSE TO MAKE USE OF MY SECOND NAV RADIO AND MY LACK OF PREFLT PLANNING IN ESTIMATING GND SPDS WHICH, BY THE CLOCK, WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE DISTANCE I HAD TRAVELED. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THOROUGH PREFLT PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL EVEN ON SHORT PLEASURE FLTS.

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.