Unauthorized penetration of a restricted area.

Attributes
ACN	143348
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric tracon : nhk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 1172 flight time type : 410
ASRS Report	143348
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Through some navigation error, I inadvertently entered R4005 (depicted on washington sectional). Just prior to the penetration, radar services being provided by richmond approach were terminated by the controller, west/O any handoff to the next adjacent facility. Next, because in-flight WX conditions were lowering, I took a few mins to establish contact with the nearest FSS (newport news, I believe) to issue a PIREP. Once this was done, I located the name and frequency of the next approach control (patuxent river approach) and established voice contact. When my aircraft was radar idented, the controller promptly advised me that I had entered the restr area and gave route instructions for a punctual exit. I immediately complied with his instructions (direct to patuxent VORTAC, then on course to 0w7), and then rechked my sectional chart to find out what my error had been. Simply stated, I believe this unplanned entry into restr airspace was caused by my having missed its southern boundary during a busy time in the cockpit. The air was very rough (a fact which in included in my PIREP) and clouds were darkening considerably, especially toward my destination; my attention was certainly occupied. In my experience, ATC facs are not very helpful at aiding itinerant VFR pilots in avoidance of restr areas. I'd have preferred to have richmond approach arrange a handoff to patuxent river, rather than being left to reestablish contact with ATC on my own.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF A RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: THROUGH SOME NAV ERROR, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED R4005 (DEPICTED ON WASHINGTON SECTIONAL). JUST PRIOR TO THE PENETRATION, RADAR SVCS BEING PROVIDED BY RICHMOND APCH WERE TERMINATED BY THE CTLR, W/O ANY HDOF TO THE NEXT ADJACENT FAC. NEXT, BECAUSE INFLT WX CONDITIONS WERE LOWERING, I TOOK A FEW MINS TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE NEAREST FSS (NEWPORT NEWS, I BELIEVE) TO ISSUE A PIREP. ONCE THIS WAS DONE, I LOCATED THE NAME AND FREQ OF THE NEXT APCH CTL (PATUXENT RIVER APCH) AND ESTABLISHED VOICE CONTACT. WHEN MY ACFT WAS RADAR IDENTED, THE CTLR PROMPTLY ADVISED ME THAT I HAD ENTERED THE RESTR AREA AND GAVE RTE INSTRUCTIONS FOR A PUNCTUAL EXIT. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS (DIRECT TO PATUXENT VORTAC, THEN ON COURSE TO 0W7), AND THEN RECHKED MY SECTIONAL CHART TO FIND OUT WHAT MY ERROR HAD BEEN. SIMPLY STATED, I BELIEVE THIS UNPLANNED ENTRY INTO RESTR AIRSPACE WAS CAUSED BY MY HAVING MISSED ITS SOUTHERN BOUNDARY DURING A BUSY TIME IN THE COCKPIT. THE AIR WAS VERY ROUGH (A FACT WHICH IN INCLUDED IN MY PIREP) AND CLOUDS WERE DARKENING CONSIDERABLY, ESPECIALLY TOWARD MY DEST; MY ATTN WAS CERTAINLY OCCUPIED. IN MY EXPERIENCE, ATC FACS ARE NOT VERY HELPFUL AT AIDING ITINERANT VFR PLTS IN AVOIDANCE OF RESTR AREAS. I'D HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE RICHMOND APCH ARRANGE A HDOF TO PATUXENT RIVER, RATHER THAN BEING LEFT TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC ON MY OWN.

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.