Narrative:

The event was a violation of the airspace which comprises P40. I was flying alone on the return trip from dropping my daughter and a friend at university park airport near state college, PA. My destination was montgomery county airpark, gaithersburg, md. The WX was clear except for a few high clouds. There was light to moderate turbulence. The winds were 210/14 at 3000' and 230/18g24 at 6000'. The event occurred on the leg from the ths VOR to the fdk VOR. I had been at 4500' inbound (188 mc) to ths and at passage had turned to 150 degrees and started a descent to 3500'. I decided to level at 4000' until I cleared the ridges west of fdk. I was slightly concerned about th turbulence and wanted the extra safety margin. I was looking at the beautiful lights of hagerstown when I noticed that I was too far northwest of hgr for my intended course. I immediately turned my single operating VOR receiver to the fdk frequency and the CDI went to the right. I thought I was clear of P40 and decided to intercept my course with a 170 degree heading. This must have been my mistake. The time was about XX40 EDT. Upon landing at montgomery county airpark, the FBO notified me that he had a phone # that I was to call. On my third call attempt that evening I got through and learned that I had violated P40. I feel my problem was caused by a strong southwest wind coupled with the brief distraction of the lights. In the future, when on this flight, I will always fly from ths to hgr VOR to the fdk VOR. This is my recommendation to assure clearance of P40.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERS PROHIBITED AREA.

Narrative: THE EVENT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE AIRSPACE WHICH COMPRISES P40. I WAS FLYING ALONE ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM DROPPING MY DAUGHTER AND A FRIEND AT UNIVERSITY PARK ARPT NEAR STATE COLLEGE, PA. MY DEST WAS MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPARK, GAITHERSBURG, MD. THE WX WAS CLR EXCEPT FOR A FEW HIGH CLOUDS. THERE WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. THE WINDS WERE 210/14 AT 3000' AND 230/18G24 AT 6000'. THE EVENT OCCURRED ON THE LEG FROM THE THS VOR TO THE FDK VOR. I HAD BEEN AT 4500' INBND (188 MC) TO THS AND AT PASSAGE HAD TURNED TO 150 DEGS AND STARTED A DSNT TO 3500'. I DECIDED TO LEVEL AT 4000' UNTIL I CLRED THE RIDGES W OF FDK. I WAS SLIGHTLY CONCERNED ABOUT TH TURB AND WANTED THE EXTRA SAFETY MARGIN. I WAS LOOKING AT THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS OF HAGERSTOWN WHEN I NOTICED THAT I WAS TOO FAR NW OF HGR FOR MY INTENDED COURSE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED MY SINGLE OPERATING VOR RECEIVER TO THE FDK FREQ AND THE CDI WENT TO THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT I WAS CLR OF P40 AND DECIDED TO INTERCEPT MY COURSE WITH A 170 DEG HDG. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN MY MISTAKE. THE TIME WAS ABOUT XX40 EDT. UPON LNDG AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPARK, THE FBO NOTIFIED ME THAT HE HAD A PHONE # THAT I WAS TO CALL. ON MY THIRD CALL ATTEMPT THAT EVENING I GOT THROUGH AND LEARNED THAT I HAD VIOLATED P40. I FEEL MY PROB WAS CAUSED BY A STRONG SW WIND COUPLED WITH THE BRIEF DISTR OF THE LIGHTS. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN ON THIS FLT, I WILL ALWAYS FLY FROM THS TO HGR VOR TO THE FDK VOR. THIS IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO ASSURE CLRNC OF P40.

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.