Narrative:

On a VFR flight from ewb to clt which I have made many times both IFR and VFR, I entered restr airspace near the cambridge NDB (cge) and V16. I had been receiving center flight following since leaving ewb. I was aware of the restr airspace around patuxent, md, and planned to intercept V16 at the gared intersection and then fly V16 to ric to avoid it. At a point between ATR and gared I switched to 122.0 to check the WX. When I switched back to center frequency, I mistakenly went to the previous center frequency instead of the current one. I saw that I was near the restr area. I assumed it was not hot since center said nothing about it. In the past they always advised me about it. When I realized they had not spoken to me in a while, I called and was advised of the proper frequency, who advised me I had entered the restr area. At that time I was already on V16 near the churk intersection. I believe this incident was caused by: 1) my switching back to the wrong frequency. 2) my assuming that ATC would advise me of the status of the restr area without my asking. 3) not paying enough attention to navigation because I 'thought' I was getting flight following. 4) allowing a passenger who was sitting in the copilot seat to keep me occupied answering his constant stream of questions. I think that the above allowed me to get in trouble even as I watched it develop. It's the same old answer -- fly the airplane and navigation first!!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR PLT ENTERS RESTR AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM EWB TO CLT WHICH I HAVE MADE MANY TIMES BOTH IFR AND VFR, I ENTERED RESTR AIRSPACE NEAR THE CAMBRIDGE NDB (CGE) AND V16. I HAD BEEN RECEIVING CTR FLT FOLLOWING SINCE LEAVING EWB. I WAS AWARE OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE AROUND PATUXENT, MD, AND PLANNED TO INTERCEPT V16 AT THE GARED INTXN AND THEN FLY V16 TO RIC TO AVOID IT. AT A POINT BTWN ATR AND GARED I SWITCHED TO 122.0 TO CHK THE WX. WHEN I SWITCHED BACK TO CTR FREQ, I MISTAKENLY WENT TO THE PREVIOUS CTR FREQ INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT ONE. I SAW THAT I WAS NEAR THE RESTR AREA. I ASSUMED IT WAS NOT HOT SINCE CTR SAID NOTHING ABOUT IT. IN THE PAST THEY ALWAYS ADVISED ME ABOUT IT. WHEN I REALIZED THEY HAD NOT SPOKEN TO ME IN A WHILE, I CALLED AND WAS ADVISED OF THE PROPER FREQ, WHO ADVISED ME I HAD ENTERED THE RESTR AREA. AT THAT TIME I WAS ALREADY ON V16 NEAR THE CHURK INTXN. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY: 1) MY SWITCHING BACK TO THE WRONG FREQ. 2) MY ASSUMING THAT ATC WOULD ADVISE ME OF THE STATUS OF THE RESTR AREA WITHOUT MY ASKING. 3) NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTN TO NAV BECAUSE I 'THOUGHT' I WAS GETTING FLT FOLLOWING. 4) ALLOWING A PAX WHO WAS SITTING IN THE COPLT SEAT TO KEEP ME OCCUPIED ANSWERING HIS CONSTANT STREAM OF QUESTIONS. I THINK THAT THE ABOVE ALLOWED ME TO GET IN TROUBLE EVEN AS I WATCHED IT DEVELOP. IT'S THE SAME OLD ANSWER -- FLY THE AIRPLANE AND NAV FIRST!!

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.