An light transport crew inadvertently flew through an air traffic area on a VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	224211
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : frg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	224211
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the afternoon of oct/fri/92, the ZNY radar went OTS for about 2 hours. IFR clrncs for air carrier traffic out of jfk international were not being issued. The only clrncs being issued were for VFR out of the ny TCA at or below 1400 MSL. Our company operations specifications allow us to operate VFR, and our company actively encourages us to do so when we can. After consulting with our dispatcher for our flight to alb, we requested and were issued a VFR clearance out of the TCA 12 DME east at or below 1400 ft MSL. We departed shortly thereafter. Prior to takeoff, we reviewed, albeit hurriedly, the only chart we had which depicted the dimensions of the ny TCA, which was the commercial chart. The captain was fairly familiar with the ny area and was comfortable departing VFR. After takeoff, we were issued a 090 degree heading. At about 12 DME from the jfk VOR, radar service was terminated and we were on our own. At this point, the captain was referring to the commercial chart and suggested a left turn direct to the bridgeport, ct VOR. As I began to turn, I observed a large airport at our 12 O'clock and approximately 5 mi ahead. I started an immediate climb to 3100 MSL to clear the air traffic area. The captain finally became oriented and said that we could climb to 3500 MSL and stay clear of the TCA, and I realized we were passing over the farmingdale airport. Though I believe that we started the climb in enough time to clear the air traffic area, we may have inadvertently penetrated the air traffic area by no more than a mi or less. No conflict with other traffic was observed. Contributing factors: 1) lack of real knowledge of the ny area. 2) lack of usable charts for VFR operations. We are not issued sectionals or VFR terminal area charts. 3) over-reliance on the captain's knowledge of the ny airspace. 4) fixation on not penetrating the ny TCA. 5) a 'rush' atmosphere prior to departure. In short, a stupid, inadvertent mistake that I will not repeat. From now on, if we cannot go IFR as planned, we don't go.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT CREW INADVERTENTLY FLEW THROUGH AN ATA ON A VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: ON THE AFTERNOON OF OCT/FRI/92, THE ZNY RADAR WENT OTS FOR ABOUT 2 HRS. IFR CLRNCS FOR ACR TFC OUT OF JFK INTL WERE NOT BEING ISSUED. THE ONLY CLRNCS BEING ISSUED WERE FOR VFR OUT OF THE NY TCA AT OR BELOW 1400 MSL. OUR COMPANY OPS SPECS ALLOW US TO OPERATE VFR, AND OUR COMPANY ACTIVELY ENCOURAGES US TO DO SO WHEN WE CAN. AFTER CONSULTING WITH OUR DISPATCHER FOR OUR FLT TO ALB, WE REQUESTED AND WERE ISSUED A VFR CLRNC OUT OF THE TCA 12 DME E AT OR BELOW 1400 FT MSL. WE DEPARTED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. PRIOR TO TKOF, WE REVIEWED, ALBEIT HURRIEDLY, THE ONLY CHART WE HAD WHICH DEPICTED THE DIMENSIONS OF THE NY TCA, WHICH WAS THE COMMERCIAL CHART. THE CAPT WAS FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH THE NY AREA AND WAS COMFORTABLE DEPARTING VFR. AFTER TKOF, WE WERE ISSUED A 090 DEG HDG. AT ABOUT 12 DME FROM THE JFK VOR, RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED AND WE WERE ON OUR OWN. AT THIS POINT, THE CAPT WAS REFERRING TO THE COMMERCIAL CHART AND SUGGESTED A L TURN DIRECT TO THE BRIDGEPORT, CT VOR. AS I BEGAN TO TURN, I OBSERVED A LARGE ARPT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK AND APPROX 5 MI AHEAD. I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 3100 MSL TO CLR THE ATA. THE CAPT FINALLY BECAME ORIENTED AND SAID THAT WE COULD CLB TO 3500 MSL AND STAY CLR OF THE TCA, AND I REALIZED WE WERE PASSING OVER THE FARMINGDALE ARPT. THOUGH I BELIEVE THAT WE STARTED THE CLB IN ENOUGH TIME TO CLR THE ATA, WE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED THE ATA BY NO MORE THAN A MI OR LESS. NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC WAS OBSERVED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LACK OF REAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE NY AREA. 2) LACK OF USABLE CHARTS FOR VFR OPS. WE ARE NOT ISSUED SECTIONALS OR VFR TERMINAL AREA CHARTS. 3) OVER-RELIANCE ON THE CAPT'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE NY AIRSPACE. 4) FIXATION ON NOT PENETRATING THE NY TCA. 5) A 'RUSH' ATMOSPHERE PRIOR TO DEP. IN SHORT, A STUPID, INADVERTENT MISTAKE THAT I WILL NOT REPEAT. FROM NOW ON, IF WE CANNOT GO IFR AS PLANNED, WE DON'T GO.

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.