Low time GA pilot on pleasure flight penetrates 2 air traffic area's without communication and viola...

Attributes
ACN	121991
Time
Date	198909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ash
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : aye tower : ash
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 oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 475 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	121991
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was taking some friends site seeing. I accidentally came within 2.5 NM of nashua, nh airport, which has a control tower (without contacting ATC), due to a navigation error. I subsequently departed the area. The error was due to my not having planned a specific route through an area I'm not too familiar with. (While safety could have been increased by my immediately contacting the tower and reporting my position, the FAA's current enforcement policy made this an unacceptable option.) also, I accidentally came within 2 NM of moore aaf (aye) while attempting to navigate to fitchburg airport (fit) nearby. Having confused these 2 airports before, I set the left display of my LORAN to fitchburg and the right display to moore. I think I accidentally tracked the right display to moore. I may also have violated the 500' altitude requirements over marlboro or other FARS on this flight or other flight during the time period covered by this report. The air traffic area problems could be avoided by more careful planning, navigation or radar flight following.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME GA PLT ON PLEASURE FLT PENETRATES 2 ATA'S WITHOUT COM AND VIOLATES LOW FLYING FEDERAL AVIATION REG IN BETWEEN.

Narrative: I WAS TAKING SOME FRIENDS SITE SEEING. I ACCIDENTALLY CAME WITHIN 2.5 NM OF NASHUA, NH ARPT, WHICH HAS A CTL TWR (WITHOUT CONTACTING ATC), DUE TO A NAVIGATION ERROR. I SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE AREA. THE ERROR WAS DUE TO MY NOT HAVING PLANNED A SPECIFIC ROUTE THROUGH AN AREA I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH. (WHILE SAFETY COULD HAVE BEEN INCREASED BY MY IMMEDIATELY CONTACTING THE TWR AND REPORTING MY POSITION, THE FAA'S CURRENT ENFORCEMENT POLICY MADE THIS AN UNACCEPTABLE OPTION.) ALSO, I ACCIDENTALLY CAME WITHIN 2 NM OF MOORE AAF (AYE) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE TO FITCHBURG ARPT (FIT) NEARBY. HAVING CONFUSED THESE 2 ARPTS BEFORE, I SET THE LEFT DISPLAY OF MY LORAN TO FITCHBURG AND THE RIGHT DISPLAY TO MOORE. I THINK I ACCIDENTALLY TRACKED THE RIGHT DISPLAY TO MOORE. I MAY ALSO HAVE VIOLATED THE 500' ALT REQUIREMENTS OVER MARLBORO OR OTHER FARS ON THIS FLT OR OTHER FLT DURING THE TIME PERIOD COVERED BY THIS REPORT. THE ATA PROBLEMS COULD BE AVOIDED BY MORE CAREFUL PLANNING, NAVIGATION OR RADAR FLT FOLLOWING.

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.

Low time GA pilot on pleasure flight penetrates 2 air traffic area's without communication and violates low flying federal aviation regulation in between.