Narrative:

I was attempting a VFR flight from oth to 4s1. I had called our local airport contact at 4s1 and had been informed that the WX was 'fine' with at lest '3-5 mi visibility and good ceilings.' the WX at oth was 1000 broken to slt and 2 1/2 mi, so I got a SVFR clearance out of the control zone. Visibility improved as I cleared the control zone to the south. As I proceeded swards the ceilings remained ragged with better conditions apparent further off shore. By the time I rounded the cape blanco/port orford area it became clear that conditions further to the south had deteriorated and the WX was dropping along the coast line rapidly. I found an area of better WX a mi or so off shore headed there climbing VFR to 1000 ft. At that time I contacted mmv FSS on 122.4 and requested an IFR clearance back to oth. I informed mmv FSS that I was 45 DME out on the oth 190 degree radial and that I could maintain my own terrain separation on the clearance climb out. A few mins later I was cleared by seattle center (through mmv FSS) direct to oth at 7000 ft. I proceeded to climb and headed direct to oth. I contacted sea center out of about 2000 ft while climbing through a scattered/broken layer. Seattle center informed me that I was inside a warning area (W-93 to be exact) and could I climb VFR on an easterly heading until clear. I saw that I could, told them I would, and did. I managed to clear the area without further problems, although the seattle center controller seemed pretty upset. After everything was under control I consulted my charts and realized what must have happened: in my attempt to remain in VFR conditions and to get my IFR clearance I strayed too far west off shore and entered the warning area (at that time I was too busy to consult my charts, and was honestly not even aware of W-93 being so close to shore, 3 mi). What puzzles me is the fact that neither the FSS specialist who I related my position to, nor the ATC controller to whom he talked to picked up on my incursion (based on my position report) until I was in radar contact. Had I been told prior to my being issued the clearance I would have been able to clear the area to the west and saved us all some trouble. In future I will not be so trusting of our local WX contact in 4s1 and more aware of the 3 mi limit on the warning area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO GET TO 4S1 VFR. WHILE GETTING CLRNC FROM ZSE, BLUNDERED INTO W93.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING A VFR FLT FROM OTH TO 4S1. I HAD CALLED OUR LCL ARPT CONTACT AT 4S1 AND HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT THE WX WAS 'FINE' WITH AT LEST '3-5 MI VISIBILITY AND GOOD CEILINGS.' THE WX AT OTH WAS 1000 BROKEN TO SLT AND 2 1/2 MI, SO I GOT A SVFR CLRNC OUT OF THE CTL ZONE. VISIBILITY IMPROVED AS I CLRED THE CTL ZONE TO THE S. AS I PROCEEDED SWARDS THE CEILINGS REMAINED RAGGED WITH BETTER CONDITIONS APPARENT FURTHER OFF SHORE. BY THE TIME I ROUNDED THE CAPE BLANCO/PORT ORFORD AREA IT BECAME CLR THAT CONDITIONS FURTHER TO THE S HAD DETERIORATED AND THE WX WAS DROPPING ALONG THE COAST LINE RAPIDLY. I FOUND AN AREA OF BETTER WX A MI OR SO OFF SHORE HEADED THERE CLBING VFR TO 1000 FT. AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED MMV FSS ON 122.4 AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC BACK TO OTH. I INFORMED MMV FSS THAT I WAS 45 DME OUT ON THE OTH 190 DEG RADIAL AND THAT I COULD MAINTAIN MY OWN TERRAIN SEPARATION ON THE CLRNC CLB OUT. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS CLRED BY SEATTLE CENTER (THROUGH MMV FSS) DIRECT TO OTH AT 7000 FT. I PROCEEDED TO CLB AND HEADED DIRECT TO OTH. I CONTACTED SEA CENTER OUT OF ABOUT 2000 FT WHILE CLBING THROUGH A SCATTERED/BROKEN LAYER. SEATTLE CENTER INFORMED ME THAT I WAS INSIDE A WARNING AREA (W-93 TO BE EXACT) AND COULD I CLB VFR ON AN EASTERLY HDG UNTIL CLR. I SAW THAT I COULD, TOLD THEM I WOULD, AND DID. I MANAGED TO CLR THE AREA WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS, ALTHOUGH THE SEATTLE CENTER CTLR SEEMED PRETTY UPSET. AFTER EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CTL I CONSULTED MY CHARTS AND REALIZED WHAT MUST HAVE HAPPENED: IN MY ATTEMPT TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS AND TO GET MY IFR CLRNC I STRAYED TOO FAR W OFF SHORE AND ENTERED THE WARNING AREA (AT THAT TIME I WAS TOO BUSY TO CONSULT MY CHARTS, AND WAS HONESTLY NOT EVEN AWARE OF W-93 BEING SO CLOSE TO SHORE, 3 MI). WHAT PUZZLES ME IS THE FACT THAT NEITHER THE FSS SPECIALIST WHO I RELATED MY POS TO, NOR THE ATC CTLR TO WHOM HE TALKED TO PICKED UP ON MY INCURSION (BASED ON MY POS RPT) UNTIL I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT. HAD I BEEN TOLD PRIOR TO MY BEING ISSUED THE CLRNC I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CLR THE AREA TO THE W AND SAVED US ALL SOME TROUBLE. IN FUTURE I WILL NOT BE SO TRUSTING OF OUR LCL WX CONTACT IN 4S1 AND MORE AWARE OF THE 3 MI LIMIT ON THE WARNING AREA.

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.