Small aircraft on vectors enters restricted area.

Attributes
ACN	226889
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nkt airport : ilm
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nkt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
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 : 700
ASRS Report	226889
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When leaving ilm departure airspace, I (pilot) was handed off to cherry point approach and I was told by ilm that cherry point did not yet have me on radar but I should continue heading and altitude. I made contact with cherry point (ilm told me to keep same squawk code) and it was acknowledged. A few mins later, I overheard cherry point and another pilot talking about vectors around a restr area. I knew I was close or in a restr area (but not sure if it was the one I overheard being talked about) so I contacted cherry point again and told them approximately where I was at that time. The controller told me to identify and then told me to take a 100 degree right turn and that I was in an active restr area. Once clear of the restr area I was told to stay 3-4 mi off the beach and resume own navigation. I feel the problem occurred because both the controller and pilot failed to maintain precise positional awareness. The pilot was essentially directed into the restr airspace and it was the pilot who recognized a possible problem. The controller failed to keep track of the airplane and failed to notice the plane on his scope. He saw it after 'identify' (not a 1200 squawk) and never lost it after that. The ultimate solution is for the pilot to always be aware of exact position and to treat ATC as a backup, yet we are expected to follow their instruction -- catch 22?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VECTORS ENTERS RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: WHEN LEAVING ILM DEP AIRSPACE, I (PLT) WAS HANDED OFF TO CHERRY POINT APCH AND I WAS TOLD BY ILM THAT CHERRY POINT DID NOT YET HAVE ME ON RADAR BUT I SHOULD CONTINUE HDG AND ALT. I MADE CONTACT WITH CHERRY POINT (ILM TOLD ME TO KEEP SAME SQUAWK CODE) AND IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. A FEW MINS LATER, I OVERHEARD CHERRY POINT AND ANOTHER PLT TALKING ABOUT VECTORS AROUND A RESTR AREA. I KNEW I WAS CLOSE OR IN A RESTR AREA (BUT NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE ONE I OVERHEARD BEING TALKED ABOUT) SO I CONTACTED CHERRY POINT AGAIN AND TOLD THEM APPROX WHERE I WAS AT THAT TIME. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO IDENT AND THEN TOLD ME TO TAKE A 100 DEG R TURN AND THAT I WAS IN AN ACTIVE RESTR AREA. ONCE CLR OF THE RESTR AREA I WAS TOLD TO STAY 3-4 MI OFF THE BEACH AND RESUME OWN NAV. I FEEL THE PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE BOTH THE CTLR AND PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PRECISE POSITIONAL AWARENESS. THE PLT WAS ESSENTIALLY DIRECTED INTO THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND IT WAS THE PLT WHO RECOGNIZED A POSSIBLE PROBLEM. THE CTLR FAILED TO KEEP TRACK OF THE AIRPLANE AND FAILED TO NOTICE THE PLANE ON HIS SCOPE. HE SAW IT AFTER 'IDENT' (NOT A 1200 SQUAWK) AND NEVER LOST IT AFTER THAT. THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION IS FOR THE PLT TO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF EXACT POS AND TO TREAT ATC AS A BACKUP, YET WE ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTION -- CATCH 22?

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.