Narrative:

I was lead of a 2 ship of fgt's on a training mission. On return from jefferson bombing range, I checked the correct WX and cancelled IFR with ZID approximately 120 mi south of btl (north of indianapolis). Our mission I briefed as a medium altitude maverick training missile practice after the range in VFR conditions. As we descended, it was necessary to go lower than planned due to the reduced visibility from the haze. We stopped at 1500-1000 ft AGL and cruised north towards home as I searched for a suitable ground target to perform our missile practice on. I was using my INS and TACAN as reference off B to keep oriented/fuel considerations. As I spotted a quarry/gravel pit that would work for our practice off to the left, I started a climbing left turn to circle the area. As I passed an easterly heading I then spotted fwa airport approximately 2 mi in the distance. I immediately ducked down to 1000 AGL and headed out of their airspace. I did not contact them on the radio (we were on a tactical frequency) but spoke to the controller once I returned to base. He wished to inform me of my incursion into his airspace and be assured I was aware I shouldn't have been there. I apologized for my navigation error. The reasons for this occurrence are: 1) changing my initial plan, once the visibility went down (not in WX brief) I should have cancelled that portion of sortie. 2) having my navaids set to btl instead of fwa denied me vital navigation information. 3) my assumption that I could maintain a safe distance from towns/cities/airports in reduced visibility at 1000-1500 AGL. 4) channelized attention on finding suitable practice area for maverick work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 MIL ATTACK PLTS ON A SECONDARY MISSION OF LOW LEVEL NAV WANDERED INTO THE FWA ATA AND ARSA. VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED BY HAZE.

Narrative: I WAS LEAD OF A 2 SHIP OF FGT'S ON A TRAINING MISSION. ON RETURN FROM JEFFERSON BOMBING RANGE, I CHKED THE CORRECT WX AND CANCELLED IFR WITH ZID APPROX 120 MI S OF BTL (NORTH OF INDIANAPOLIS). OUR MISSION I BRIEFED AS A MEDIUM ALT MAVERICK TRAINING MISSILE PRACTICE AFTER THE RANGE IN VFR CONDITIONS. AS WE DSNDED, IT WAS NECESSARY TO GO LOWER THAN PLANNED DUE TO THE REDUCED VISIBILITY FROM THE HAZE. WE STOPPED AT 1500-1000 FT AGL AND CRUISED N TOWARDS HOME AS I SEARCHED FOR A SUITABLE GND TARGET TO PERFORM OUR MISSILE PRACTICE ON. I WAS USING MY INS AND TACAN AS REF OFF B TO KEEP ORIENTED/FUEL CONSIDERATIONS. AS I SPOTTED A QUARRY/GRAVEL PIT THAT WOULD WORK FOR OUR PRACTICE OFF TO THE L, I STARTED A CLBING L TURN TO CIRCLE THE AREA. AS I PASSED AN EASTERLY HDG I THEN SPOTTED FWA ARPT APPROX 2 MI IN THE DISTANCE. I IMMEDIATELY DUCKED DOWN TO 1000 AGL AND HEADED OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE. I DID NOT CONTACT THEM ON THE RADIO (WE WERE ON A TACTICAL FREQ) BUT SPOKE TO THE CTLR ONCE I RETURNED TO BASE. HE WISHED TO INFORM ME OF MY INCURSION INTO HIS AIRSPACE AND BE ASSURED I WAS AWARE I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE. I APOLOGIZED FOR MY NAV ERROR. THE REASONS FOR THIS OCCURRENCE ARE: 1) CHANGING MY INITIAL PLAN, ONCE THE VISIBILITY WENT DOWN (NOT IN WX BRIEF) I SHOULD HAVE CANCELLED THAT PORTION OF SORTIE. 2) HAVING MY NAVAIDS SET TO BTL INSTEAD OF FWA DENIED ME VITAL NAV INFO. 3) MY ASSUMPTION THAT I COULD MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE FROM TOWNS/CITIES/ARPTS IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AT 1000-1500 AGL. 4) CHANNELIZED ATTN ON FINDING SUITABLE PRACTICE AREA FOR MAVERICK WORK.

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.