<< >> NASA ASRS Report 210043, May 1992

Small aircraft practicing ground reference maneuvers becomes disoriented, may have entered air traffic area and TCA.

Attributes
ACN	210043
Time
Date	199205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : arb
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : yip artcc : sked
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 110 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	210043
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Daylight VFR flight jxn to ptk via ann arbor. Contacted arb tower for permission to transit air traffic area and conduct ground reference maneuvers northeast of airport. Ground reference maneuvers were conducted at 2000 ft MSL (1200 ft AGL). Upon completion of ground reference maneuvers, a small transport on climb out from willow run was observed. I turned south to maintenance proper separation and may have inadvertently penetrated the willow run air traffic area without establishing contact. I then turned north toward oakland pontiac. My initial altitude was 1800 MSL and I began to climb to 3000 MSL. There is a remote possibility that I clipped the outside edge of the detroit TCA. At the time, I felt I was far enough north but may have misjudged how far south my separation maneuvering had taken me. There was never any danger of collision as our horizontal separation was greater than 1 mi. Concentration on executing ground reference maneuvers can make you temporarily unsure of your position. In the future, I will practice ground reference maneuvers in less congested areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PRACTICING GND REF MANEUVERS BECOMES DISORIENTED, MAY HAVE ENTERED ATA AND TCA.

Narrative: DAYLIGHT VFR FLT JXN TO PTK VIA ANN ARBOR. CONTACTED ARB TWR FOR PERMISSION TO TRANSIT ATA AND CONDUCT GND REF MANEUVERS NE OF ARPT. GND REF MANEUVERS WERE CONDUCTED AT 2000 FT MSL (1200 FT AGL). UPON COMPLETION OF GND REF MANEUVERS, A SMT ON CLBOUT FROM WILLOW RUN WAS OBSERVED. I TURNED S TO MAINT PROPER SEPARATION AND MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED THE WILLOW RUN ATA WITHOUT ESTABLISHING CONTACT. I THEN TURNED N TOWARD OAKLAND PONTIAC. MY INITIAL ALT WAS 1800 MSL AND I BEGAN TO CLB TO 3000 MSL. THERE IS A REMOTE POSSIBILITY THAT I CLIPPED THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE DETROIT TCA. AT THE TIME, I FELT I WAS FAR ENOUGH N BUT MAY HAVE MISJUDGED HOW FAR S MY SEPARATION MANEUVERING HAD TAKEN ME. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER OF COLLISION AS OUR HORIZ SEPARATION WAS GREATER THAN 1 MI. CONCENTRATION ON EXECUTING GND REF MANEUVERS CAN MAKE YOU TEMPORARILY UNSURE OF YOUR POS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PRACTICE GND REF MANEUVERS IN LESS CONGESTED AREAS.

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.