Unauthorized penetration of airspace, proximity of TCA. Reporter claims innocence.

Attributes
ACN	200549
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90 airport : ldj
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1600
ASRS Report	200549
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying on a training flight in the traffic pattern at linden airport jan, 1992. About AM15 the same day another low wing single engine airplane with the same colors, with intentions to land at linden airport, arrived from the south. The pilot who was unfamiliar with the area, missed linden airport and entered newark TCA, the pilot did not communicate with ATC at that time. The aircraft was seen from the control tower at newark airport, however the aircraft was not idented. At this point the aircraft reversed its course and returned for landing at linden airport. Few mins after the aircraft arrived under airport, newark tower asked a helicopter which at that time departed newark for a local heliport in the vicinity of linden airport, to identify the low wing single engine airplane flying in the vicinity of linden airport. The helicopter pilot idented my airplane which at that time entered downwind for runway 09. ATC therefore incorrectly assumed that my airplane penetrated the TCA illegally, and I was instructed to contact newark tower when the flight terminated. I called newark tower and the supervisor told me that the incident would be presented to the GADO. Thorough planning is necessary when flying into unfamiliar airspace. I think the other pilot failed to do so, and thus he illegally entered the TCA. My aircraft was idented as the one that penetrated the TCA because the two airplanes involved look the same when spotted from a distance, and because ATC did not exercise proper care when tracking a TCA penetrator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE, PROX OF TCA. RPTR CLAIMS INNOCENCE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON A TRAINING FLT IN THE TFC PATTERN AT LINDEN ARPT JAN, 1992. ABOUT AM15 THE SAME DAY ANOTHER LOW WING SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE WITH THE SAME COLORS, WITH INTENTIONS TO LAND AT LINDEN ARPT, ARRIVED FROM THE S. THE PLT WHO WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, MISSED LINDEN ARPT AND ENTERED NEWARK TCA, THE PLT DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ATC AT THAT TIME. THE ACFT WAS SEEN FROM THE CTL TWR AT NEWARK ARPT, HOWEVER THE ACFT WAS NOT IDENTED. AT THIS POINT THE ACFT REVERSED ITS COURSE AND RETURNED FOR LNDG AT LINDEN ARPT. FEW MINS AFTER THE ACFT ARRIVED UNDER ARPT, NEWARK TWR ASKED A HELI WHICH AT THAT TIME DEPARTED NEWARK FOR A LCL HELIPORT IN THE VICINITY OF LINDEN ARPT, TO IDENT THE LOW WING SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF LINDEN ARPT. THE HELI PLT IDENTED MY AIRPLANE WHICH AT THAT TIME ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 09. ATC THEREFORE INCORRECTLY ASSUMED THAT MY AIRPLANE PENETRATED THE TCA ILLEGALLY, AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NEWARK TWR WHEN THE FLT TERMINATED. I CALLED NEWARK TWR AND THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT THE INCIDENT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE GADO. THOROUGH PLANNING IS NECESSARY WHEN FLYING INTO UNFAMILIAR AIRSPACE. I THINK THE OTHER PLT FAILED TO DO SO, AND THUS HE ILLEGALLY ENTERED THE TCA. MY ACFT WAS IDENTED AS THE ONE THAT PENETRATED THE TCA BECAUSE THE TWO AIRPLANES INVOLVED LOOK THE SAME WHEN SPOTTED FROM A DISTANCE, AND BECAUSE ATC DID NOT EXERCISE PROPER CARE WHEN TRACKING A TCA PENETRATOR.

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.