Narrative:

I am a naval aviator assigned to a vc squadron at naval base guantanamo bay, cuba. I was tasker to assist in a DOD/navy test project in the eglin AFB area. I approached NAS whiting field, fl, from the northwest at 3500', thinking it was an air traffic area requiring clearance of 3000' 5 NM. I climbed to 4000' just to ensure there was no conflict and continued to the recovery site. Upon completion of the mission, I was told to call the FAA controller of pensacola who informed me of my violation of the arsa in the whiting field area. There was a lack of information passed by the natc and eglin base operations/mission control personnel to support people not fully familiar with the local area. Also, the need for an approach control affiliated with the mission control was recognized and will be added to future projects to ensure there are no further violations. The arsa at whiting goes to 4200'. The project manager from naval air test center, patuxent river, md, is knowledgeable of the situation that occurred during the test, and is making changes to ensure it won't happen again. I was unaware that NAS whiting was an arsa and never informed during any project/operation briefings of the potential problem. I thought I was under the control of eglin mission control during the entire project. None of the other aircrews (approximately 25 personnel/9 aircraft) as well as the project personnel were aware that NAS whiting field was an arsa and required a clearance of 4200' vice 3000'. We are all aware of it now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FGT UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I AM A NAVAL AVIATOR ASSIGNED TO A VC SQUADRON AT NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA. I WAS TASKER TO ASSIST IN A DOD/NAVY TEST PROJECT IN THE EGLIN AFB AREA. I APCHED NAS WHITING FIELD, FL, FROM THE NW AT 3500', THINKING IT WAS AN ATA REQUIRING CLRNC OF 3000' 5 NM. I CLIMBED TO 4000' JUST TO ENSURE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND CONTINUED TO THE RECOVERY SITE. UPON COMPLETION OF THE MISSION, I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE FAA CTLR OF PENSACOLA WHO INFORMED ME OF MY VIOLATION OF THE ARSA IN THE WHITING FIELD AREA. THERE WAS A LACK OF INFO PASSED BY THE NATC AND EGLIN BASE OPS/MISSION CTL PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT PEOPLE NOT FULLY FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCAL AREA. ALSO, THE NEED FOR AN APCH CTL AFFILIATED WITH THE MISSION CTL WAS RECOGNIZED AND WILL BE ADDED TO FUTURE PROJECTS TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO FURTHER VIOLATIONS. THE ARSA AT WHITING GOES TO 4200'. THE PROJECT MGR FROM NAVAL AIR TEST CENTER, PATUXENT RIVER, MD, IS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE SITUATION THAT OCCURRED DURING THE TEST, AND IS MAKING CHANGES TO ENSURE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I WAS UNAWARE THAT NAS WHITING WAS AN ARSA AND NEVER INFORMED DURING ANY PROJECT/OPERATION BRIEFINGS OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I WAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF EGLIN MISSION CTL DURING THE ENTIRE PROJECT. NONE OF THE OTHER AIRCREWS (APPROX 25 PERSONNEL/9 ACFT) AS WELL AS THE PROJECT PERSONNEL WERE AWARE THAT NAS WHITING FIELD WAS AN ARSA AND REQUIRED A CLRNC OF 4200' VICE 3000'. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF IT NOW.

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.