Narrative:

On oct/tue/93 I departed santa flight attendant municipal airport (saf) for a sightseeing flight to monument valley and the grand canyon. I very rarely fly VFR, and at the local FBO I attempted to purchase the appropriate sectional chart for the grand canyon area. The FBO had sold out of the sectional, so I purchased a WAC chart and noticed that no crossing instructions for the canyon appeared on the chart. Another pilot at the counter said that he had crossed the canyon on a number of occasions, and that the proper procedure for crossing from the north was to fly the 360 degree radial off the grand canyon VOR at or above 10500 ft. Accordingly, I flew over monument valley, then crossed lake powell north of the page VOR. Subsequently, I picked up the 360 degree radial of the gcn VOR and flew toward the canyon. After a while I was able to receive the ATIS transmission from grand canyon airport, and, as instructed, I tuned in the approach frequency to announce my position and intention to land. This was approximately 20 mi from the airport, according to my GPS (the grand canyon VOR DME was OTS). There was very heavy traffic on the frequency, and I was unable to contact approach until I was approximately 11 mi from the airport. I announced my position and shortly the controller came back and asked my altitude. I replied that I was at 10500 ft. He then informed me that I was in a restr area and that I should turn back and climb to 14500 ft before crossing the canyon. By this time I was at the south rim of the canyon and I explained this to the controller. He instructed me to fly to the airport and report over the runway at an altitude of 9500 ft. I did so and was subsequently given landing instructions. As I was departing, the ground controller asked for my name and certificate number and said that I should contact the FAA in las vegas, which I have done this day. I would like to point out that I have 1400 hours as a private, instrument rated pilot and have never violated any other regulation. I would not have done so had the sectional chart been available, or had I not received incorrect instructions from another pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT FLEW INTO A SPECIAL FLT RULE AIRSPACE ON A SIGHT-SEEING PLEASURE FLT.

Narrative: ON OCT/TUE/93 I DEPARTED SANTA FA MUNICIPAL ARPT (SAF) FOR A SIGHTSEEING FLT TO MONUMENT VALLEY AND THE GRAND CANYON. I VERY RARELY FLY VFR, AND AT THE LCL FBO I ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE THE APPROPRIATE SECTIONAL CHART FOR THE GRAND CANYON AREA. THE FBO HAD SOLD OUT OF THE SECTIONAL, SO I PURCHASED A WAC CHART AND NOTICED THAT NO XING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CANYON APPEARED ON THE CHART. ANOTHER PLT AT THE COUNTER SAID THAT HE HAD CROSSED THE CANYON ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, AND THAT THE PROPER PROC FOR XING FROM THE N WAS TO FLY THE 360 DEG RADIAL OFF THE GRAND CANYON VOR AT OR ABOVE 10500 FT. ACCORDINGLY, I FLEW OVER MONUMENT VALLEY, THEN CROSSED LAKE POWELL N OF THE PAGE VOR. SUBSEQUENTLY, I PICKED UP THE 360 DEG RADIAL OF THE GCN VOR AND FLEW TOWARD THE CANYON. AFTER A WHILE I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE THE ATIS XMISSION FROM GRAND CANYON ARPT, AND, AS INSTRUCTED, I TUNED IN THE APCH FREQ TO ANNOUNCE MY POS AND INTENTION TO LAND. THIS WAS APPROX 20 MI FROM THE ARPT, ACCORDING TO MY GPS (THE GRAND CANYON VOR DME WAS OTS). THERE WAS VERY HVY TFC ON THE FREQ, AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH UNTIL I WAS APPROX 11 MI FROM THE ARPT. I ANNOUNCED MY POS AND SHORTLY THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED MY ALT. I REPLIED THAT I WAS AT 10500 FT. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN A RESTR AREA AND THAT I SHOULD TURN BACK AND CLB TO 14500 FT BEFORE XING THE CANYON. BY THIS TIME I WAS AT THE S RIM OF THE CANYON AND I EXPLAINED THIS TO THE CTLR. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY TO THE ARPT AND RPT OVER THE RWY AT AN ALT OF 9500 FT. I DID SO AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. AS I WAS DEPARTING, THE GND CTLR ASKED FOR MY NAME AND CERTIFICATE NUMBER AND SAID THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE FAA IN LAS VEGAS, WHICH I HAVE DONE THIS DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT I HAVE 1400 HRS AS A PVT, INST RATED PLT AND HAVE NEVER VIOLATED ANY OTHER REG. I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE SO HAD THE SECTIONAL CHART BEEN AVAILABLE, OR HAD I NOT RECEIVED INCORRECT INSTRUCTIONS FROM ANOTHER PLT.

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.