Entered arsa on TCAS equipment test flight.

Attributes
ACN	115104
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abl
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bal
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1350 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	115104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed leesburg, va for operational test of TCAS system in restr category test aircraft (small aircraft). Objective was to obtain data in hi density traffic area. Plan was to fly between the dca/andrews TCA and the balance arsa from roughly gaithersburg, md (gai) on a 120 heading tracking the gai NDB and using adw, balance VOR's and ft meade NDB for position fixes to polla intersection near lee airport, md. ADF quit near polla, and I overestimated winds aloft, flew in to the balance arsa in the 1300' southeast quadrant, received suggested heading from andrews approach, then flew in to tipton aaf airport traffic area unintentionally. Saw large transport north approach to balance approximately 200' above me and about 1/5 mi away, turning base for runway 10. No evasive action necessary. Rest of trip uneventful. Was informed by avionics manufacturer that data was excellent and test was successful. I feel that I should have informed andrews approach immediately of the failure of my ADF receiver as vectors from them could probably have averted this incursion. Lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED ARSA ON TCAS EQUIPMENT TEST FLT.

Narrative: DEPARTED LEESBURG, VA FOR OPERATIONAL TEST OF TCAS SYSTEM IN RESTR CATEGORY TEST ACFT (SMA). OBJECTIVE WAS TO OBTAIN DATA IN HI DENSITY TFC AREA. PLAN WAS TO FLY BETWEEN THE DCA/ANDREWS TCA AND THE BAL ARSA FROM ROUGHLY GAITHERSBURG, MD (GAI) ON A 120 HDG TRACKING THE GAI NDB AND USING ADW, BAL VOR'S AND FT MEADE NDB FOR POSITION FIXES TO POLLA INTXN NEAR LEE ARPT, MD. ADF QUIT NEAR POLLA, AND I OVERESTIMATED WINDS ALOFT, FLEW IN TO THE BAL ARSA IN THE 1300' SE QUADRANT, RECEIVED SUGGESTED HDG FROM ANDREWS APCH, THEN FLEW IN TO TIPTON AAF ARPT TFC AREA UNINTENTIONALLY. SAW LGT N APCH TO BAL APPROX 200' ABOVE ME AND ABOUT 1/5 MI AWAY, TURNING BASE FOR RWY 10. NO EVASIVE ACTION NECESSARY. REST OF TRIP UNEVENTFUL. WAS INFORMED BY AVIONICS MANUFACTURER THAT DATA WAS EXCELLENT AND TEST WAS SUCCESSFUL. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ANDREWS APCH IMMEDIATELY OF THE FAILURE OF MY ADF RECEIVER AS VECTORS FROM THEM COULD PROBABLY HAVE AVERTED THIS INCURSION. LESSON LEARNED.

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.