Narrative:

On aug/thur/91 at approximately XA00 hours local, I departed dobbins AFB, GA (mge), in a military aircraft, on a routine maintenance test flight for removal and installation of the #1 engine. The requirement existed to shut down (complete engine and propeller stoppage) #1 engine during flight, perform an engine restart without use of the engine crank switch using only the ignite switch, unfeather the propeller, and then perform a diving maneuver to ensure there was no vibration emanating from the engine. Cloud tops were approximately 8500-9000 MSL. I proceeded westerly from mge on a heading of 300 degree at 6500 MSL staying clear of clouds, until south of the rome, GA (rmg) VORTAC, then climbed to 10500 MSL VFR. Sky conditions varied between scattered and broken conditions, depending on the locale. Visibility on top was greater than 15 mi. After shutting down #1 engine and feathering the propeller (complete engine and propeller stoppage), I maneuvered eastbound to an area which had scattered conditions, made clearing turns and proceeded to descend from 10500 MSL to approximately 7500 MSL trying to airstart #1 engine with no success. I made a 360 degree clearing turn and began my descent from 10500 MSL accelerating to 200 KTS IAS attempting to 'airstart' #1 engine which now responded and ignited at approximately 6500 MSL. After landing, dobbins AFB ground control advised me to call atlanta ATC supervisor's office which I did, only to be told that I had violated the atlanta TCA. I was not aware of any problem during the flight, thinking that since I had started my maneuvers by the rome, GA, VORTAC, I was well clear of the atl TCA, and I concentrated mainly on the problem of restarting #1 engine. The violation occurred because my attention was directed to the #1 engine which failed to start (ie, I concentrated on a perceived problem) because I did not stay aware of my geographical position at all times, because of the intermittent 'off' flag on my DME window of dob TACAN channel 77, and because a scattered to broken cloud condition limited the airspace available to descend safely. My perception was that I was clear of the atl TCA, albeit close to its outer boundaries. In short, situational awareness, division of attention, faulty DME indicator, lack of communication with atl approach control/center and VFR cloud clearance requirements perhaps all contributed to the TCA violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED UNCOORD PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON AUG/THUR/91 AT APPROX XA00 HRS LCL, I DEPARTED DOBBINS AFB, GA (MGE), IN A MIL ACFT, ON A ROUTINE MAINT TEST FLT FOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF THE #1 ENG. THE REQUIREMENT EXISTED TO SHUT DOWN (COMPLETE ENG AND PROP STOPPAGE) #1 ENG DURING FLT, PERFORM AN ENG RESTART WITHOUT USE OF THE ENG CRANK SWITCH USING ONLY THE IGNITE SWITCH, UNFEATHER THE PROP, AND THEN PERFORM A DIVING MANEUVER TO ENSURE THERE WAS NO VIBRATION EMANATING FROM THE ENG. CLOUD TOPS WERE APPROX 8500-9000 MSL. I PROCEEDED WESTERLY FROM MGE ON A HDG OF 300 DEG AT 6500 MSL STAYING CLR OF CLOUDS, UNTIL S OF THE ROME, GA (RMG) VORTAC, THEN CLBED TO 10500 MSL VFR. SKY CONDITIONS VARIED BTWN SCATTERED AND BROKEN CONDITIONS, DEPENDING ON THE LOCALE. VISIBILITY ON TOP WAS GREATER THAN 15 MI. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN #1 ENG AND FEATHERING THE PROP (COMPLETE ENG AND PROP STOPPAGE), I MANEUVERED EBOUND TO AN AREA WHICH HAD SCATTERED CONDITIONS, MADE CLRING TURNS AND PROCEEDED TO DSND FROM 10500 MSL TO APPROX 7500 MSL TRYING TO AIRSTART #1 ENG WITH NO SUCCESS. I MADE A 360 DEG CLRING TURN AND BEGAN MY DSCNT FROM 10500 MSL ACCELERATING TO 200 KTS IAS ATTEMPTING TO 'AIRSTART' #1 ENG WHICH NOW RESPONDED AND IGNITED AT APPROX 6500 MSL. AFTER LNDG, DOBBINS AFB GND CTL ADVISED ME TO CALL ATLANTA ATC SUPVR'S OFFICE WHICH I DID, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE ATLANTA TCA. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM DURING THE FLT, THINKING THAT SINCE I HAD STARTED MY MANEUVERS BY THE ROME, GA, VORTAC, I WAS WELL CLR OF THE ATL TCA, AND I CONCENTRATED MAINLY ON THE PROBLEM OF RESTARTING #1 ENG. THE VIOLATION OCCURRED BECAUSE MY ATTN WAS DIRECTED TO THE #1 ENG WHICH FAILED TO START (IE, I CONCENTRATED ON A PERCEIVED PROBLEM) BECAUSE I DID NOT STAY AWARE OF MY GEOGRAPHICAL POS AT ALL TIMES, BECAUSE OF THE INTERMITTENT 'OFF' FLAG ON MY DME WINDOW OF DOB TACAN CHANNEL 77, AND BECAUSE A SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUD CONDITION LIMITED THE AIRSPACE AVAILABLE TO DSND SAFELY. MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT I WAS CLR OF THE ATL TCA, ALBEIT CLOSE TO ITS OUTER BOUNDARIES. IN SHORT, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, DIVISION OF ATTN, FAULTY DME INDICATOR, LACK OF COM WITH ATL APCH CTL/CENTER AND VFR CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS PERHAPS ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE TCA VIOLATION.

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.