Narrative:

Event happened on a flight from bed, ma, to mtn, md. I had made this flight many times before, and was aware of both the TCA around baltimore, and the 2 restr areas, R4001A (R4001A was not active on this flight) and R4001B northeast of mtn. To avoid problems, I routinely fly to swann intersection about 10 NM southeast of mtn, on the east side of cheasapeake bay. Thence, track the LOM (mtn) until the airport is in sight. (This is my VFR procedure, which I used today.) at swann, I tuned the NDB, and the needle pointed to 3 O'clock, showing mtn off my right wing, where it should have been. I made the turn, expecting the needle to move to 12 O'clock, but it stayed put! I turned further north, and it still pointed to 3 O'clock and told me to fly east! Confused at this point, I flew straight for a few mi (heading north). I then called mtn tower. They soon located me inside R4001A, and advised me to contact baltimore approach, who gave me a southerly heading to exit R4001A. Then, I found it! The ADF receiver was on the 'ant' position instead of the 'ADF' position. In 'ant' the needle always points at 3 O'clock. I was fooled by a strong aural identify, the apparent correct needle position when I reached swann intersection, and failed to note the wrong switch position. I soon had things straightened away, cleared R4001A, and found mtn without further assistance. Both mtn tower and baltimore approach stated they wouldn't press the issue, but I'm filing this to alert pilots of the importance in maintaining situational awareness around restr airspace, TCA's etc, and to confirm correct behavior of instruments.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED A RESTR AIRSPACE DUE TO AN INCORRECT ADF MODE SETTING.

Narrative: EVENT HAPPENED ON A FLT FROM BED, MA, TO MTN, MD. I HAD MADE THIS FLT MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND WAS AWARE OF BOTH THE TCA AROUND BALTIMORE, AND THE 2 RESTR AREAS, R4001A (R4001A WAS NOT ACTIVE ON THIS FLT) AND R4001B NE OF MTN. TO AVOID PROBS, I ROUTINELY FLY TO SWANN INTXN ABOUT 10 NM SE OF MTN, ON THE E SIDE OF CHEASAPEAKE BAY. THENCE, TRACK THE LOM (MTN) UNTIL THE ARPT IS IN SIGHT. (THIS IS MY VFR PROC, WHICH I USED TODAY.) AT SWANN, I TUNED THE NDB, AND THE NEEDLE POINTED TO 3 O'CLOCK, SHOWING MTN OFF MY R WING, WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I MADE THE TURN, EXPECTING THE NEEDLE TO MOVE TO 12 O'CLOCK, BUT IT STAYED PUT! I TURNED FURTHER N, AND IT STILL POINTED TO 3 O'CLOCK AND TOLD ME TO FLY E! CONFUSED AT THIS POINT, I FLEW STRAIGHT FOR A FEW MI (HDG N). I THEN CALLED MTN TWR. THEY SOON LOCATED ME INSIDE R4001A, AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT BALTIMORE APCH, WHO GAVE ME A SOUTHERLY HDG TO EXIT R4001A. THEN, I FOUND IT! THE ADF RECEIVER WAS ON THE 'ANT' POS INSTEAD OF THE 'ADF' POS. IN 'ANT' THE NEEDLE ALWAYS POINTS AT 3 O'CLOCK. I WAS FOOLED BY A STRONG AURAL IDENT, THE APPARENT CORRECT NEEDLE POS WHEN I REACHED SWANN INTXN, AND FAILED TO NOTE THE WRONG SWITCH POS. I SOON HAD THINGS STRAIGHTENED AWAY, CLRED R4001A, AND FOUND MTN WITHOUT FURTHER ASSISTANCE. BOTH MTN TWR AND BALTIMORE APCH STATED THEY WOULDN'T PRESS THE ISSUE, BUT I'M FILING THIS TO ALERT PLTS OF THE IMPORTANCE IN MAINTAINING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AROUND RESTR AIRSPACE, TCA'S ETC, AND TO CONFIRM CORRECT BEHAVIOR OF INSTS.

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.