Narrative:

On a return flight from elko, nv, to las, nv, I was the observation pilot training a new pilot on the preferred route back. We fly this route at 7500-9500 ft depending on the terrain, so are unable to use VOR navigation. It is strictly navigating using the sectional. I had made this trip 13 times previous to this one and felt very comfortable with the route. The PF was on his first trip. On the way to elko from las vegas, I showed him visual chkpoints to use about every 15 mins, of course we would check our position continually during flight, but there were chkpoints more prominent that I use along the route. Approximately 1 hour into the return flight, I started studying a manual I had brought along. At this time I felt the PF was doing an excellent job of following the route. I felt comfortable if he would point out chkpoints about every 15 mins. He had positively idented 2 chkpoints since I had started studying and at the third point he pointed out that he could not find a fix. I scanned the area and could not positively identify any of the surrounding terrain. I saw what I suspected to be a familiar landmark and we proceeded to it. Upon discovering it was not the right one, I suggested we circle and climb to 11500 ft to try to pick up VOR radials for a fix. We were unable to receive 2 vors. We then contacted ZLC hoping to get a radar position. They were too busy and suggested ZOA. But at this time we were intercepted by a DOD aircraft. I wrote a frequency on a piece of paper and held it against the window. We then made radio contact and followed the aircraft to an airport where we made statements. The error we made, or I made, was in assuming the PF would be able to positively identify certain terrain features. My judgement error in this area is what caused us to enter restr airspace. The judgement error I made in this incident was the belief that since I was not the PF, I could relax my concentration of my duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ATX ACFT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO A RESTRICTED AIRSPACE AREA RESULTING IN A DOD ACFT ESCORTING THEM OUT OF THE AREA TO A LNDG.

Narrative: ON A RETURN FLT FROM ELKO, NV, TO LAS, NV, I WAS THE OBSERVATION PLT TRAINING A NEW PLT ON THE PREFERRED RTE BACK. WE FLY THIS RTE AT 7500-9500 FT DEPENDING ON THE TERRAIN, SO ARE UNABLE TO USE VOR NAV. IT IS STRICTLY NAVING USING THE SECTIONAL. I HAD MADE THIS TRIP 13 TIMES PREVIOUS TO THIS ONE AND FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE RTE. THE PF WAS ON HIS FIRST TRIP. ON THE WAY TO ELKO FROM LAS VEGAS, I SHOWED HIM VISUAL CHKPOINTS TO USE ABOUT EVERY 15 MINS, OF COURSE WE WOULD CHK OUR POS CONTINUALLY DURING FLT, BUT THERE WERE CHKPOINTS MORE PROMINENT THAT I USE ALONG THE RTE. APPROX 1 HR INTO THE RETURN FLT, I STARTED STUDYING A MANUAL I HAD BROUGHT ALONG. AT THIS TIME I FELT THE PF WAS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF FOLLOWING THE RTE. I FELT COMFORTABLE IF HE WOULD POINT OUT CHKPOINTS ABOUT EVERY 15 MINS. HE HAD POSITIVELY IDENTED 2 CHKPOINTS SINCE I HAD STARTED STUDYING AND AT THE THIRD POINT HE POINTED OUT THAT HE COULD NOT FIND A FIX. I SCANNED THE AREA AND COULD NOT POSITIVELY IDENT ANY OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. I SAW WHAT I SUSPECTED TO BE A FAMILIAR LANDMARK AND WE PROCEEDED TO IT. UPON DISCOVERING IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT ONE, I SUGGESTED WE CIRCLE AND CLB TO 11500 FT TO TRY TO PICK UP VOR RADIALS FOR A FIX. WE WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE 2 VORS. WE THEN CONTACTED ZLC HOPING TO GET A RADAR POS. THEY WERE TOO BUSY AND SUGGESTED ZOA. BUT AT THIS TIME WE WERE INTERCEPTED BY A DOD ACFT. I WROTE A FREQ ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND HELD IT AGAINST THE WINDOW. WE THEN MADE RADIO CONTACT AND FOLLOWED THE ACFT TO AN ARPT WHERE WE MADE STATEMENTS. THE ERROR WE MADE, OR I MADE, WAS IN ASSUMING THE PF WOULD BE ABLE TO POSITIVELY IDENT CERTAIN TERRAIN FEATURES. MY JUDGEMENT ERROR IN THIS AREA IS WHAT CAUSED US TO ENTER RESTR AIRSPACE. THE JUDGEMENT ERROR I MADE IN THIS INCIDENT WAS THE BELIEF THAT SINCE I WAS NOT THE PF, I COULD RELAX MY CONCENTRATION OF MY DUTIES.

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.