Narrative:

I was piloting an small aircraft on a standardization/proficiency check administered by an inspector of the FAA FSDO at bwi, md. This is a check that is performed annually by them for the cap, as a chief pilot candidate. It was agreed prior to departure, that due to the marginal VFR WX, estimated to be 3-5 SM visibility and a ceiling of 1500 broken, that the evaluation would consist of takeoffs, lndgs, and glide path control. We departed the annapolis, md, lee airport and remained in the traffic pattern for 3 circuits. The aircraft was equipped with an ELT DF. On the 3RD circuit, the ELT DF activated an alarm on 121.5. An additional circuit was made at lee airport and it was determined that the ELT being received was not located on the airport. The FAA inspector then asked what would be my procedure for this event. Radio communication was established with leesburg radio and the ELT was reported to them. They reported there were no other reports of an ELT. The FAA inspector then requested a demonstration of the ELT DF equipment on board the aircraft. We started to track the signal, leaving the lee air traffic area on a heading of approximately 240 degree magnetic. The aircraft was not DME equipped, but had LORAN C. The LORAN was set to the adw VORTAC. We were operating at an altitude of approximately 1000 MSL. We also had on board the aircraft a current washington TCA chart. We were operating underneath the outer areas of the adw/dca TCA. Approaching the inner boundary, radio communication was established with adw RAPCON. We explained what we were doing and received a squawk and idented at their request. They asked our intentions, and we informed them that we were tracking the ELT signal. They asked our heading, and then advised that we could proceed as requested. I was piloting the aircraft and operating the DF. The FAA inspector was in possession of the TCA chart and following the aircraft progress using the chart, visual references, VOR, and LORAN. I requested the inspector to monitor our progress with our location to the TCA but this was not explicitly acknowledged by him. In tracking the ELT we entered the inner area of the adw TCA and possibly the air traffic area. At all times we remained in communication with adw RAPCON. When the ELT signal was lost, we advised adw RAPCON and established an easterly heading away from the TCA. When we were clear of the TCA, adw RAPCON advised radar service terminated, squawk 1200. We then returned to lee airport. In debriefing after the flight on the ground, a difference of opinion as to crew coordination responsibilities was determined to exist between the inspector and myself. Neither did I specifically request clearance to enter the TCA nor did we ever receive a specific clearance to enter or to remain clear of the TCA from adw RAPCON. I would like to point out that communications were established with adw RAPCON prior to the inadvertent entry and maintained throughout the entire event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS PILOTING AN SMA ON A STANDARDIZATION/PROFICIENCY CHECK ADMINISTERED BY AN INSPECTOR OF THE FAA FSDO AT BWI, MD. THIS IS A CHECK THAT IS PERFORMED ANNUALLY BY THEM FOR THE CAP, AS A CHIEF PLT CANDIDATE. IT WAS AGREED PRIOR TO DEP, THAT DUE TO THE MARGINAL VFR WX, ESTIMATED TO BE 3-5 SM VISIBILITY AND A CEILING OF 1500 BKN, THAT THE EVALUATION WOULD CONSIST OF TKOFS, LNDGS, AND GLIDE PATH CONTROL. WE DEPARTED THE ANNAPOLIS, MD, LEE ARPT AND REMAINED IN THE TFC PATTERN FOR 3 CIRCUITS. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELT DF. ON THE 3RD CIRCUIT, THE ELT DF ACTIVATED AN ALARM ON 121.5. AN ADDITIONAL CIRCUIT WAS MADE AT LEE ARPT AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ELT BEING RECEIVED WAS NOT LOCATED ON THE ARPT. THE FAA INSPECTOR THEN ASKED WHAT WOULD BE MY PROC FOR THIS EVENT. RADIO COM WAS ESTABLISHED WITH LEESBURG RADIO AND THE ELT WAS REPORTED TO THEM. THEY REPORTED THERE WERE NO OTHER REPORTS OF AN ELT. THE FAA INSPECTOR THEN REQUESTED A DEMONSTRATION OF THE ELT DF EQUIPMENT ON BOARD THE ACFT. WE STARTED TO TRACK THE SIGNAL, LEAVING THE LEE ATA ON A HDG OF APPROX 240 DEG MAGNETIC. THE ACFT WAS NOT DME EQUIPPED, BUT HAD LORAN C. THE LORAN WAS SET TO THE ADW VORTAC. WE WERE OPERATING AT AN ALT OF APPROX 1000 MSL. WE ALSO HAD ON BOARD THE ACFT A CURRENT WASHINGTON TCA CHART. WE WERE OPERATING UNDERNEATH THE OUTER AREAS OF THE ADW/DCA TCA. APCHING THE INNER BOUNDARY, RADIO COM WAS ESTABLISHED WITH ADW RAPCON. WE EXPLAINED WHAT WE WERE DOING AND RECEIVED A SQUAWK AND IDENTED AT THEIR REQUEST. THEY ASKED OUR INTENTIONS, AND WE INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE TRACKING THE ELT SIGNAL. THEY ASKED OUR HDG, AND THEN ADVISED THAT WE COULD PROCEED AS REQUESTED. I WAS PILOTING THE ACFT AND OPERATING THE DF. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN POSSESSION OF THE TCA CHART AND FOLLOWING THE ACFT PROGRESS USING THE CHART, VISUAL REFERENCES, VOR, AND LORAN. I REQUESTED THE INSPECTOR TO MONITOR OUR PROGRESS WITH OUR LOCATION TO THE TCA BUT THIS WAS NOT EXPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY HIM. IN TRACKING THE ELT WE ENTERED THE INNER AREA OF THE ADW TCA AND POSSIBLY THE ATA. AT ALL TIMES WE REMAINED IN COM WITH ADW RAPCON. WHEN THE ELT SIGNAL WAS LOST, WE ADVISED ADW RAPCON AND ESTABLISHED AN EASTERLY HDG AWAY FROM THE TCA. WHEN WE WERE CLEAR OF THE TCA, ADW RAPCON ADVISED RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED, SQUAWK 1200. WE THEN RETURNED TO LEE ARPT. IN DEBRIEFING AFTER THE FLT ON THE GND, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO CREW COORD RESPONSIBILITIES WAS DETERMINED TO EXIST BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR AND MYSELF. NEITHER DID I SPECIFICALLY REQUEST CLRNC TO ENTER THE TCA NOR DID WE EVER RECEIVE A SPECIFIC CLRNC TO ENTER OR TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE TCA FROM ADW RAPCON. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT COMS WERE ESTABLISHED WITH ADW RAPCON PRIOR TO THE INADVERTENT ENTRY AND MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EVENT.

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.