Narrative:

Departed monterey VFR for a flight to el monte, ca. Initially flew southeast along coast, approximately 1 mi offshore, watching whale migration. Passing abeam morro bay VOR I tuned and idented gaviota voa and dialed in 120 degree right to station (reciprocal of 300 degree right), and also contacted vbg approach on 118.0 for VFR flight following. I indicated my intentions to fly to gaviota direct rather than remain offshore. As my VOR needle came alive, indicating I was getting close to the 300 degree right. I turned inland toward gaviota. Approximately 2-3 mi after I crossed the shoreline, with the VOR needle still indicating that I was east of the 300 degree right, approach control instructed me to turn left immediately to a heading of 030 degrees to depart the restr airspace. I made the turn and queried the controller as to my position. He indicated that I was definitely inside restr airspace R2516. After approximately 5 mins heading 030 degrees the controller indicated that I was out of the restr airspace and could resume my own navigation. I apologized for the airspace incursion and completed my flight west/O further incident. Pilots are taught to fly VFR by referencing VFR sectional charts. We have to assume they are correct and accurate and put our trust in them. It appears that 1 of 3 things is the causal factor: 1) the depiction of the radial compass for gaviota VOR is skewed several degrees, 2) the depiction of the restr airspace on the sectional is incorrect, or 3) the approach controller's screen is out of alignment. According to my navigation equipment I was never west of the 304 degree right. The 30-day VOR check had been performed 10 days prior with an error noted of 1 degree.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLEASURE FLT REQUESTING FLT FOLLOWING SERVICE IS ADVISED THAT LOCALIZER IS IN RESTRICTED AREA AND IS VECTORED OUT OF SAME, BUT REPORTER DENIES PENETRATION.

Narrative: DEPARTED MONTEREY VFR FOR A FLT TO EL MONTE, CA. INITIALLY FLEW SE ALONG COAST, APPROX 1 MI OFFSHORE, WATCHING WHALE MIGRATION. PASSING ABEAM MORRO BAY VOR I TUNED AND IDENTED GAVIOTA VOA AND DIALED IN 120 DEG R TO STATION (RECIPROCAL OF 300 DEG R), AND ALSO CONTACTED VBG APCH ON 118.0 FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING. I INDICATED MY INTENTIONS TO FLY TO GAVIOTA DIRECT RATHER THAN REMAIN OFFSHORE. AS MY VOR NEEDLE CAME ALIVE, INDICATING I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE 300 DEG R. I TURNED INLAND TOWARD GAVIOTA. APPROX 2-3 MI AFTER I CROSSED THE SHORELINE, WITH THE VOR NEEDLE STILL INDICATING THAT I WAS E OF THE 300 DEG R, APCH CTL INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN LEFT IMMEDIATELY TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS TO DEPART THE RESTR AIRSPACE. I MADE THE TURN AND QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO MY POS. HE INDICATED THAT I WAS DEFINITELY INSIDE RESTR AIRSPACE R2516. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS HDG 030 DEGS THE CTLR INDICATED THAT I WAS OUT OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND COULD RESUME MY OWN NAV. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE AIRSPACE INCURSION AND COMPLETED MY FLT W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. PLTS ARE TAUGHT TO FLY VFR BY REFERENCING VFR SECTIONAL CHARTS. WE HAVE TO ASSUME THEY ARE CORRECT AND ACCURATE AND PUT OUR TRUST IN THEM. IT APPEARS THAT 1 OF 3 THINGS IS THE CAUSAL FACTOR: 1) THE DEPICTION OF THE RADIAL COMPASS FOR GAVIOTA VOR IS SKEWED SEVERAL DEGS, 2) THE DEPICTION OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE ON THE SECTIONAL IS INCORRECT, OR 3) THE APCH CTLR'S SCREEN IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. ACCORDING TO MY NAV EQUIPMENT I WAS NEVER W OF THE 304 DEG R. THE 30-DAY VOR CHK HAD BEEN PERFORMED 10 DAYS PRIOR WITH AN ERROR NOTED OF 1 DEG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.