Narrative:

I was on a round trip VFR pleasure trip from monroe, nc, (eqy) to columbia, sc (cub) and back to eqy. Aircraft was a full IFR with one non pilot passenger on board. My intentions were to fly direct to cub using the cae 200 degree inbound radial and return home using the 020 degree outbound radial. The leg from eqy to cub was uneventful. I departed eqy and arrived at cub. Cae approach control was contacted 25 NM from the airport for flight following. I landed runway 31 at cub and back taxied into position where I switched tanks, checked instruments, and reset both vors to the reciprocal heading. Either mistakenly or inadvertently, I set the vors to 040 degree in lieu of 020 degree. In any event, my mindset was that the outbound course was 040 degree. After takeoff I began to intercept the cae 040 degree radial and contacted cae departure control. I was asked for on course heading which I stated to be 040 degree. The controller advised that R-6001 a and B was active and to avoid. Believing my course to be well north of the restr area, I simply acknowledged his transmission. I received no further warnings from ATC concerning R-6001 a and B. Radar services were terminated shortly after leaving the cae arsa. I continued to track the cae 040 degree radial believing myself to be on a direct course to eqy. Nighttime visual reference points in the area are few and poor. I spotted camden, sc, (cdn) and realized I was somewhat south of expected route. Using the clt and ctf vors I determined my position approximately correct, but noted an indicated counterclockwise movement around ctf as opposed to the expected clockwise movement. Believing the vors to be malfunctioning, I proceeded direct to ctf and then followed united states highway 601 to eqy. Later that evening I realized the navigation error and that my route would have been very close, if not through, the northwest corner of r- 6001 a and B.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON NIGHT FLT INSERTED WRONG RADIAL IN VOR, ENTERED RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: I WAS ON A ROUND TRIP VFR PLEASURE TRIP FROM MONROE, NC, (EQY) TO COLUMBIA, SC (CUB) AND BACK TO EQY. ACFT WAS A FULL IFR WITH ONE NON PLT PAX ON BOARD. MY INTENTIONS WERE TO FLY DIRECT TO CUB USING THE CAE 200 DEG INBOUND RADIAL AND RETURN HOME USING THE 020 DEG OUTBOUND RADIAL. THE LEG FROM EQY TO CUB WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DEPARTED EQY AND ARRIVED AT CUB. CAE APCH CTL WAS CONTACTED 25 NM FROM THE ARPT FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I LANDED RWY 31 AT CUB AND BACK TAXIED INTO POS WHERE I SWITCHED TANKS, CHKED INSTS, AND RESET BOTH VORS TO THE RECIPROCAL HDG. EITHER MISTAKENLY OR INADVERTENTLY, I SET THE VORS TO 040 DEG IN LIEU OF 020 DEG. IN ANY EVENT, MY MINDSET WAS THAT THE OUTBOUND COURSE WAS 040 DEG. AFTER TKOF I BEGAN TO INTERCEPT THE CAE 040 DEG RADIAL AND CONTACTED CAE DEP CTL. I WAS ASKED FOR ON COURSE HDG WHICH I STATED TO BE 040 DEG. THE CTLR ADVISED THAT R-6001 A AND B WAS ACTIVE AND TO AVOID. BELIEVING MY COURSE TO BE WELL N OF THE RESTR AREA, I SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSION. I RECEIVED NO FURTHER WARNINGS FROM ATC CONCERNING R-6001 A AND B. RADAR SVCS WERE TERMINATED SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE CAE ARSA. I CONTINUED TO TRACK THE CAE 040 DEG RADIAL BELIEVING MYSELF TO BE ON A DIRECT COURSE TO EQY. NIGHTTIME VISUAL REF POINTS IN THE AREA ARE FEW AND POOR. I SPOTTED CAMDEN, SC, (CDN) AND REALIZED I WAS SOMEWHAT S OF EXPECTED RTE. USING THE CLT AND CTF VORS I DETERMINED MY POS APPROX CORRECT, BUT NOTED AN INDICATED COUNTERCLOCKWISE MOVEMENT AROUND CTF AS OPPOSED TO THE EXPECTED CLOCKWISE MOVEMENT. BELIEVING THE VORS TO BE MALFUNCTIONING, I PROCEEDED DIRECT TO CTF AND THEN FOLLOWED UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 601 TO EQY. LATER THAT EVENING I REALIZED THE NAV ERROR AND THAT MY RTE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE, IF NOT THROUGH, THE NW CORNER OF R- 6001 A AND B.

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.