GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	159044
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi tower : hpn
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	159044
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	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Returning to pbi from treasure cay bahamas (myat) 4500' to land at home base of pbi. Squawking a discrete transponder code given by mia FSS when VFR flight plan was opened over grand bahama island. Expected DME to indicate distance to VOR, but DME apparently failed. Did not know DME was faulty. Simultaneously was watching for shoreline. However, low clouds over the shoreline obscured the visibility shoreline. Finally saw the shoreline and called approach. However, I had penetrated the arsa. The DME never did indicate. Approach vectored me to the runway and cleared to land (by tower). After landing the tower instructed me to call. After clearing customs I called tower and was informed that I had penetrated the arsa. The tower also informed me that FSS would contact me. I did have a strong tailwind which did get me to pbi sooner than I expected. Otherwise I cannot explain how this error happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: RETURNING TO PBI FROM TREASURE CAY BAHAMAS (MYAT) 4500' TO LAND AT HOME BASE OF PBI. SQUAWKING A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE GIVEN BY MIA FSS WHEN VFR FLT PLAN WAS OPENED OVER GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND. EXPECTED DME TO INDICATE DISTANCE TO VOR, BUT DME APPARENTLY FAILED. DID NOT KNOW DME WAS FAULTY. SIMULTANEOUSLY WAS WATCHING FOR SHORELINE. HOWEVER, LOW CLOUDS OVER THE SHORELINE OBSCURED THE VIS SHORELINE. FINALLY SAW THE SHORELINE AND CALLED APCH. HOWEVER, I HAD PENETRATED THE ARSA. THE DME NEVER DID INDICATE. APCH VECTORED ME TO THE RWY AND CLRED TO LAND (BY TWR). AFTER LNDG THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL. AFTER CLRING CUSTOMS I CALLED TWR AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE ARSA. THE TWR ALSO INFORMED ME THAT FSS WOULD CONTACT ME. I DID HAVE A STRONG TAILWIND WHICH DID GET ME TO PBI SOONER THAN I EXPECTED. OTHERWISE I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW THIS ERROR HAPPENED.

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.