Narrative:

The following shall stand as my report of an indiscrepancy with cmh ATC personnel on the night of 7/X/90 at approximately XX15 local time. During routine preflight procedures, ATIS was recieved and a NOTAM was issued for the cmh arsa. This NOTAM noted that the outer area of the arsa would be closed and no radar services would be available during a fireworks display over downtown columbus, which is located in the outer area. After a normal takeoff, I was instructed by the tower that I would be handed off and I could proceed on course downwind away from the runway heading I was presently flying. After I was told to proceed on course to the downtown area, I was reminded that the outer area was closed. I was not yet in the outer area, so I immediately switched to the normal arsa departure frequency and attempted to establish communications with departure, as I thought this meant that I was now handed off. My transmission to departure was met with a course reminder that the arsa outer area was closed, no radar sep was available and that I should now squawk 1200 instead of 0444 that was assigned by clearance delivery. I now was approaching the outer area and asked departure if at least they could tell me the # of targets that were in the vicinity and the reply was '6 or 8, numerous targets,' and they knew of no common radio frequency being used. I was now in the outer area. After approximately 30 mins of flight which was conducted at 2900' MSL in the vicinity of downtown, and during which I monitored the cmh tower frequency since no departure frequency was in effect, I wished to terminate the flight. I received ATIS and turned back toward cmh. I then contacted cmh tower directly and informed them of my intentions and that I had ATIS information. I was verbally idented and asked to identify. I was still squawking 1200 as I did not establish myself with approach due to the problem with departure. I was to tower and I was at no time told to remain clear of the arsa, so I proceeded on course, as I had established 2-WAY communications. After a short period, tower asked if I had idented, which I had, I assured him, and I did it again. He then confirmed my position and informed me that I was in the arsa (which of course I now was), and that it was customary to establish with approach before entering the arsa. He then guided me to the active runway and I executed a normal landing. I was told then to call the radar supervisor which I did not think was prudent due to how well I had conducted my flight through irregular arsa airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERED THE ARSA WITHOUT AN ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING SHALL STAND AS MY RPT OF AN INDISCREPANCY WITH CMH ATC PERSONNEL ON THE NIGHT OF 7/X/90 AT APPROX XX15 LCL TIME. DURING ROUTINE PREFLT PROCS, ATIS WAS RECIEVED AND A NOTAM WAS ISSUED FOR THE CMH ARSA. THIS NOTAM NOTED THAT THE OUTER AREA OF THE ARSA WOULD BE CLOSED AND NO RADAR SVCS WOULD BE AVAILABLE DURING A FIREWORKS DISPLAY OVER DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE OUTER AREA. AFTER A NORMAL TKOF, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR THAT I WOULD BE HANDED OFF AND I COULD PROCEED ON COURSE DOWNWIND AWAY FROM THE RWY HDG I WAS PRESENTLY FLYING. AFTER I WAS TOLD TO PROCEED ON COURSE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, I WAS REMINDED THAT THE OUTER AREA WAS CLOSED. I WAS NOT YET IN THE OUTER AREA, SO I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO THE NORMAL ARSA DEP FREQ AND ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH COMS WITH DEP, AS I THOUGHT THIS MEANT THAT I WAS NOW HANDED OFF. MY XMISSION TO DEP WAS MET WITH A COURSE REMINDER THAT THE ARSA OUTER AREA WAS CLOSED, NO RADAR SEP WAS AVAILABLE AND THAT I SHOULD NOW SQUAWK 1200 INSTEAD OF 0444 THAT WAS ASSIGNED BY CLRNC DELIVERY. I NOW WAS APCHING THE OUTER AREA AND ASKED DEP IF AT LEAST THEY COULD TELL ME THE # OF TARGETS THAT WERE IN THE VICINITY AND THE REPLY WAS '6 OR 8, NUMEROUS TARGETS,' AND THEY KNEW OF NO COMMON RADIO FREQ BEING USED. I WAS NOW IN THE OUTER AREA. AFTER APPROX 30 MINS OF FLT WHICH WAS CONDUCTED AT 2900' MSL IN THE VICINITY OF DOWNTOWN, AND DURING WHICH I MONITORED THE CMH TWR FREQ SINCE NO DEP FREQ WAS IN EFFECT, I WISHED TO TERMINATE THE FLT. I RECEIVED ATIS AND TURNED BACK TOWARD CMH. I THEN CONTACTED CMH TWR DIRECTLY AND INFORMED THEM OF MY INTENTIONS AND THAT I HAD ATIS INFO. I WAS VERBALLY IDENTED AND ASKED TO IDENT. I WAS STILL SQUAWKING 1200 AS I DID NOT ESTABLISH MYSELF WITH APCH DUE TO THE PROB WITH DEP. I WAS TO TWR AND I WAS AT NO TIME TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA, SO I PROCEEDED ON COURSE, AS I HAD ESTABLISHED 2-WAY COMS. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, TWR ASKED IF I HAD IDENTED, WHICH I HAD, I ASSURED HIM, AND I DID IT AGAIN. HE THEN CONFIRMED MY POS AND INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN THE ARSA (WHICH OF COURSE I NOW WAS), AND THAT IT WAS CUSTOMARY TO ESTABLISH WITH APCH BEFORE ENTERING THE ARSA. HE THEN GUIDED ME TO THE ACTIVE RWY AND I EXECUTED A NORMAL LNDG. I WAS TOLD THEN TO CALL THE RADAR SUPVR WHICH I DID NOT THINK WAS PRUDENT DUE TO HOW WELL I HAD CONDUCTED MY FLT THROUGH IRREGULAR ARSA AIRSPACE.

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.