Narrative:

I was flying in the vicinity of kennebunkport, me. Flight was VFR. The current chart, new york sectional dated 5/91, shows prohibited area P67 as a 1 mi diameter circle and a 1000 ft top. I avoided the area entirely flying well to the west of the area and using the ground objects as reference to stay outside the prohibited area. Altitude was 1500 ft, well above the published min altitude. I tried to reach portland approach, but due to other voice traffic it was some time before I could contact the controller. Upon contacting the controller, identing my aircraft and asking for flight following, I was told that I was in the prohibited area and to fly directly north. I acknowledged and complied. I told portland approach that my chart showed me well clear. I was told that the prohibited area was 4 mi in diameter, and not as shown on the chart. Shortly thereafter approach control told another plane on the frequency that they were in the prohibited area. I learned later from the FBO where I visited that this is a common problem and many visiting pilots are violating the prohibited area because of the improper limits shown on the chart. Improper charts lead to possible conflicts and accidents as well as unnecessary problems for ATC. I strongly suggest that published charts used for navigation be rigidly inspected for accuracy before publication. A pilot with a 'dispute' with ATC is a distraction pilot and not concentrating on safe flying. We don't need distraction pilots in congested airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT INFORMED PROHIBITED AREA EXPANDED, CHART DOES NOT SHOW CHANGE. NO NOTAM.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF KENNEBUNKPORT, ME. FLT WAS VFR. THE CURRENT CHART, NEW YORK SECTIONAL DATED 5/91, SHOWS PROHIBITED AREA P67 AS A 1 MI DIAMETER CIRCLE AND A 1000 FT TOP. I AVOIDED THE AREA ENTIRELY FLYING WELL TO THE W OF THE AREA AND USING THE GND OBJECTS AS REF TO STAY OUTSIDE THE PROHIBITED AREA. ALT WAS 1500 FT, WELL ABOVE THE PUBLISHED MIN ALT. I TRIED TO REACH PORTLAND APCH, BUT DUE TO OTHER VOICE TFC IT WAS SOME TIME BEFORE I COULD CONTACT THE CTLR. UPON CONTACTING THE CTLR, IDENTING MY ACFT AND ASKING FOR FLT FOLLOWING, I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS IN THE PROHIBITED AREA AND TO FLY DIRECTLY N. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED. I TOLD PORTLAND APCH THAT MY CHART SHOWED ME WELL CLR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROHIBITED AREA WAS 4 MI IN DIAMETER, AND NOT AS SHOWN ON THE CHART. SHORTLY THEREAFTER APCH CTL TOLD ANOTHER PLANE ON THE FREQ THAT THEY WERE IN THE PROHIBITED AREA. I LEARNED LATER FROM THE FBO WHERE I VISITED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND MANY VISITING PLTS ARE VIOLATING THE PROHIBITED AREA BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPER LIMITS SHOWN ON THE CHART. IMPROPER CHARTS LEAD TO POSSIBLE CONFLICTS AND ACCIDENTS AS WELL AS UNNECESSARY PROBLEMS FOR ATC. I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT PUBLISHED CHARTS USED FOR NAV BE RIGIDLY INSPECTED FOR ACCURACY BEFORE PUBLICATION. A PLT WITH A 'DISPUTE' WITH ATC IS A DISTR PLT AND NOT CONCENTRATING ON SAFE FLYING. WE DON'T NEED DISTR PLTS IN CONGESTED 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.