Small aircraft pilot penetrates restricted area prior to establishing contact.

Attributes
ACN	196856
Time
Date	199112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : slc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 83 flight time total : 422 flight time type : 221
ASRS Report	196856
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route VFR direct from albuquerque, NM, to twin falls, identification, we penetrated the restr areas west of salt lake city without clearance from the controling agency. We had contacted cedar city FSS when passing over that facility and asked if the restr areas were 'hot.' FSS advised us that they were cold. About 50-60 NM south of the restr areas we contacted salt lake approach for radar flight following. We had been trying to contact them earlier but were unable due to our relatively low altitude. We were flying lower than normal because of strong headwinds. After establishing flight following with salt lake approach the next transmission from approach was to contact clover control. Clover control inquired about our entry into 'his' airspace. We related our conversation with FSS and clover control told us to proceed to our destination. This could have been avoided if: 1) FSS had told us to contact clover control. 2) salt lake approach had advised us about the areas. 3) we had inquired about the restr areas when establishing contact with salt lake city ATC. 4) we had contacted clover control prior to entering the areas. My copilot and partner who was operating the radios said he had called clover control without response and was monitoring clover control's frequency 134.1 for activity prior to our entry in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PENETRATES RESTRICTED AREA PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING CONTACT.

Narrative: ENRTE VFR DIRECT FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NM, TO TWIN FALLS, ID, WE PENETRATED THE RESTR AREAS W OF SALT LAKE CITY WITHOUT CLRNC FROM THE CTLING AGENCY. WE HAD CONTACTED CEDAR CITY FSS WHEN PASSING OVER THAT FACILITY AND ASKED IF THE RESTR AREAS WERE 'HOT.' FSS ADVISED US THAT THEY WERE COLD. ABOUT 50-60 NM S OF THE RESTR AREAS WE CONTACTED SALT LAKE APCH FOR RADAR FLT FOLLOWING. WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT THEM EARLIER BUT WERE UNABLE DUE TO OUR RELATIVELY LOW ALT. WE WERE FLYING LOWER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE OF STRONG HEADWINDS. AFTER ESTABLISHING FLT FOLLOWING WITH SALT LAKE APCH THE NEXT XMISSION FROM APCH WAS TO CONTACT CLOVER CTL. CLOVER CTL INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ENTRY INTO 'HIS' AIRSPACE. WE RELATED OUR CONVERSATION WITH FSS AND CLOVER CTL TOLD US TO PROCEED TO OUR DEST. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF: 1) FSS HAD TOLD US TO CONTACT CLOVER CTL. 2) SALT LAKE APCH HAD ADVISED US ABOUT THE AREAS. 3) WE HAD INQUIRED ABOUT THE RESTR AREAS WHEN ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH SALT LAKE CITY ATC. 4) WE HAD CONTACTED CLOVER CTL PRIOR TO ENTERING THE AREAS. MY COPLT AND PARTNER WHO WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS SAID HE HAD CALLED CLOVER CTL WITHOUT RESPONSE AND WAS MONITORING CLOVER CTL'S FREQ 134.1 FOR ACTIVITY PRIOR TO OUR ENTRY IN THE 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.