Narrative:

Upon return on a sightseeing flight, I was handed off by saginaw approach to fnt approach control. I was told to contact fnt on 128.55. Upon doing so, I was asked my intentions. I gave the following information: position 28 SM north of fnt, 4500' MSL, intent to fly over fnt direct to ptk. The controller returned with instructions to contact fnt approach on 118.8 when 15 mi out. (At this point 2-WAY communications were established, however no transponder code was given.) when I arrived at 15 DME north of fnt, I switched to 118.8 and contacted fnt approach. There was no response from approach. I once again called in (with position and intentions), again with no response. By this time I would say I was on the edge of the arsa. Knowing I had established 2-WAY communication earlier, I believe I should have continued through the arsa. However, since approach was not responding (possibly due to workload), I chose to deviate by turning to 270 degrees to attempt to clear the arsa because I did not believe that the controller was aware that I had been in contact 28 SM north on 128.55. The controller finally contacted me as I was wbound. I again told him my intentions, only this time stating that I would turn to 180 degrees to return to my original course to ptk. I was cleared on course, however the controller did note that I should have realized that they were obviously busy, and that I should remain clear of the arsa until 2-WAY communication could be established. Herein lies the confusion, because I thought I had established 2-WAY--but since there was a frequency change required I may have had to establish 2-WAY communication once again. I will be contacting a flight instrument and/or the FAA in order to receive proper guidance on this procedure in order to avoid possible misjudgments in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: UPON RETURN ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT, I WAS HANDED OFF BY SAGINAW APCH TO FNT APCH CTL. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT FNT ON 128.55. UPON DOING SO, I WAS ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I GAVE THE FOLLOWING INFO: POS 28 SM N OF FNT, 4500' MSL, INTENT TO FLY OVER FNT DIRECT TO PTK. THE CTLR RETURNED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT FNT APCH ON 118.8 WHEN 15 MI OUT. (AT THIS POINT 2-WAY COMS WERE ESTABLISHED, HOWEVER NO XPONDER CODE WAS GIVEN.) WHEN I ARRIVED AT 15 DME N OF FNT, I SWITCHED TO 118.8 AND CONTACTED FNT APCH. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM APCH. I ONCE AGAIN CALLED IN (WITH POS AND INTENTIONS), AGAIN WITH NO RESPONSE. BY THIS TIME I WOULD SAY I WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE ARSA. KNOWING I HAD ESTABLISHED 2-WAY COM EARLIER, I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED THROUGH THE ARSA. HOWEVER, SINCE APCH WAS NOT RESPONDING (POSSIBLY DUE TO WORKLOAD), I CHOSE TO DEVIATE BY TURNING TO 270 DEGS TO ATTEMPT TO CLR THE ARSA BECAUSE I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR WAS AWARE THAT I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT 28 SM N ON 128.55. THE CTLR FINALLY CONTACTED ME AS I WAS WBOUND. I AGAIN TOLD HIM MY INTENTIONS, ONLY THIS TIME STATING THAT I WOULD TURN TO 180 DEGS TO RETURN TO MY ORIGINAL COURSE TO PTK. I WAS CLRED ON COURSE, HOWEVER THE CTLR DID NOTE THAT I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY BUSY, AND THAT I SHOULD REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA UNTIL 2-WAY COM COULD BE ESTABLISHED. HEREIN LIES THE CONFUSION, BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD ESTABLISHED 2-WAY--BUT SINCE THERE WAS A FREQ CHANGE REQUIRED I MAY HAVE HAD TO ESTABLISH 2-WAY COM ONCE AGAIN. I WILL BE CONTACTING A FLT INSTR AND/OR THE FAA IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PROPER GUIDANCE ON THIS PROC IN ORDER TO AVOID POSSIBLE MISJUDGMENTS IN THE FUTURE.

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.