Narrative:

I departed mgy at approximately XA45 for a short night VFR trip to my base airport, I62. Because of the darkness, I climbed to 3000' MSL, which is 600' higher than the base of the outer ring of the dayton arsa. My initial heading was 330 degrees, which should have kept me about 2 mi west of the outer arsa ring; however, a strong westerly wind was present and I failed to both identify the flow and correct properly. This resulted in misident of the chkpoints and temporary navigation disorientation. I took up a w-erly heading to fly away from the arsa and idented my position using the dqn rid VOR's. Based on my known position, it is probable that I violated the day arsa on the west edge (600' above the base and 1-2 mi inside the outer ring). While I am instrument rated and current, I chose to make this short trip VFR using pilotage. This was poor judgement in the vicinity of an arsa, considering my recency of experience in night VFR operations (current but not proficient). I should have used available navaids to double-check my pilotage. I could also have contacted ATC at dayton (and should have) for flight following, and even vectors to brookville. This would have eliminated the possibility of arsa violation and enhanced overall safety. I would like to make 1 further comment: when I realized my navigation error, I could have easily called day ATC and gotten a fix and vectors to I62; however, because I suspected a violation of the arsa and was in good VFR conditions, I chose to work out the problem myself. Upon reflection, I find that the current enforcement policies of the FAA have created a fear that discourages use of ATC facs. I believe this atmosphere of fear is actually reducing safety (at least in GA).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERS DAY ARSA WITHOUT CONTACTING DAY APCH DUE TO NAVIGATIONAL ERROR AND HIS FAILURE TO CONSIDER WIND.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MGY AT APPROX XA45 FOR A SHORT NIGHT VFR TRIP TO MY BASE ARPT, I62. BECAUSE OF THE DARKNESS, I CLBED TO 3000' MSL, WHICH IS 600' HIGHER THAN THE BASE OF THE OUTER RING OF THE DAYTON ARSA. MY INITIAL HDG WAS 330 DEGS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE KEPT ME ABOUT 2 MI W OF THE OUTER ARSA RING; HOWEVER, A STRONG WESTERLY WIND WAS PRESENT AND I FAILED TO BOTH IDENT THE FLOW AND CORRECT PROPERLY. THIS RESULTED IN MISIDENT OF THE CHKPOINTS AND TEMPORARY NAV DISORIENTATION. I TOOK UP A W-ERLY HDG TO FLY AWAY FROM THE ARSA AND IDENTED MY POS USING THE DQN RID VOR'S. BASED ON MY KNOWN POS, IT IS PROBABLE THAT I VIOLATED THE DAY ARSA ON THE W EDGE (600' ABOVE THE BASE AND 1-2 MI INSIDE THE OUTER RING). WHILE I AM INSTRUMENT RATED AND CURRENT, I CHOSE TO MAKE THIS SHORT TRIP VFR USING PILOTAGE. THIS WAS POOR JUDGEMENT IN THE VICINITY OF AN ARSA, CONSIDERING MY RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE IN NIGHT VFR OPS (CURRENT BUT NOT PROFICIENT). I SHOULD HAVE USED AVAILABLE NAVAIDS TO DOUBLE-CHK MY PILOTAGE. I COULD ALSO HAVE CONTACTED ATC AT DAYTON (AND SHOULD HAVE) FOR FLT FOLLOWING, AND EVEN VECTORS TO BROOKVILLE. THIS WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE POSSIBILITY OF ARSA VIOLATION AND ENHANCED OVERALL SAFETY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE 1 FURTHER COMMENT: WHEN I REALIZED MY NAV ERROR, I COULD HAVE EASILY CALLED DAY ATC AND GOTTEN A FIX AND VECTORS TO I62; HOWEVER, BECAUSE I SUSPECTED A VIOLATION OF THE ARSA AND WAS IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS, I CHOSE TO WORK OUT THE PROB MYSELF. UPON REFLECTION, I FIND THAT THE CURRENT ENFORCEMENT POLICIES OF THE FAA HAVE CREATED A FEAR THAT DISCOURAGES USE OF ATC FACS. I BELIEVE THIS ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR IS ACTUALLY REDUCING SAFETY (AT LEAST IN GA).

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.