Narrative:

I was recently signed off for high performance flight in a low wing small aircraft. Having flown small aircraft X most recently, this airplane was a big step up in speed and performance. I was aware of this where it pertains to takeoff and landing, but I had not practiced much cruise flight. Baltimore approach was rather busy, so I elected to take the VFR flyway toward anp. I've flown in this area many times before. I'd just passed the old greenbelt airport, then the power lines and railroad tracks. Things were really going by me quickly. I was running only 55% power and my airspeed was still running about 120 KTS. Next I saw a road ahead. It was a highway, so it must be 301 - right? Hey, wait, I'm passing over freeway! Uh oh. I'm still at 2000! That isn't route 301! That's route 50. So I descended to 1400 ft and followed that road back into the flyway. The remainder of the trip was incident free. Looking back, I feel as if I had let the airplane get away from me. I had a good feel for the flyway and its landmarks, buy not at 120 KTS. I'm used to 90 KTS. I should have realized that my landmark timing was off. The choice of route and destination was poor. In addition, I have DME on this aircraft, I could have used it for TCA proximity warning. On the other hand, the flyway is a very busy place, the visibility wasn't all that great (8 mi). The best place for my eyes to be was outside, not staring at the DME! Perhaps what we need is some kind of simple navigation beacon. 2 NDB's, 1 at the black building and 1 at anp would go a long way toward keeping people on course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: I WAS RECENTLY SIGNED OFF FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE FLT IN A LOW WING SMA. HAVING FLOWN SMA X MOST RECENTLY, THIS AIRPLANE WAS A BIG STEP UP IN SPD AND PERFORMANCE. I WAS AWARE OF THIS WHERE IT PERTAINS TO TKOF AND LNDG, BUT I HAD NOT PRACTICED MUCH CRUISE FLT. BALTIMORE APCH WAS RATHER BUSY, SO I ELECTED TO TAKE THE VFR FLYWAY TOWARD ANP. I'VE FLOWN IN THIS AREA MANY TIMES BEFORE. I'D JUST PASSED THE OLD GREENBELT ARPT, THEN THE PWR LINES AND RAILROAD TRACKS. THINGS WERE REALLY GOING BY ME QUICKLY. I WAS RUNNING ONLY 55% PWR AND MY AIRSPD WAS STILL RUNNING ABOUT 120 KTS. NEXT I SAW A ROAD AHEAD. IT WAS A HIGHWAY, SO IT MUST BE 301 - RIGHT? HEY, WAIT, I'M PASSING OVER FREEWAY! UH OH. I'M STILL AT 2000! THAT ISN'T RTE 301! THAT'S RTE 50. SO I DSNDED TO 1400 FT AND FOLLOWED THAT ROAD BACK INTO THE FLYWAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP WAS INCIDENT FREE. LOOKING BACK, I FEEL AS IF I HAD LET THE AIRPLANE GET AWAY FROM ME. I HAD A GOOD FEEL FOR THE FLYWAY AND ITS LANDMARKS, BUY NOT AT 120 KTS. I'M USED TO 90 KTS. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT MY LANDMARK TIMING WAS OFF. THE CHOICE OF RTE AND DEST WAS POOR. IN ADDITION, I HAVE DME ON THIS ACFT, I COULD HAVE USED IT FOR TCA PROX WARNING. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FLYWAY IS A VERY BUSY PLACE, THE VISIBILITY WASN'T ALL THAT GREAT (8 MI). THE BEST PLACE FOR MY EYES TO BE WAS OUTSIDE, NOT STARING AT THE DME! PERHAPS WHAT WE NEED IS SOME KIND OF SIMPLE NAV BEACON. 2 NDB'S, 1 AT THE BLACK BUILDING AND 1 AT ANP WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD KEEPING PEOPLE ON COURSE.

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.