Narrative:

Filed VFR flight plan to fly from key west up the keys to miami beach and return. No stops. Purpose of flight was sight seeing. Took off from key west at about XA15 pm local. Obtained a discrete code from key west naval air station for flight following. Opened flight plan with miami radio. Proceeded up the keys generally off shore about 1/2 mi. Was instructed to squawk 1200 by the naval air station as we proceeded northeast. Penetrated the ADIZ at long key. We had not filed a DVFR plan when we penetrated the ADIZ, just a VFR plan. I assumed that the keys were inside the ADIZ and did not realize that the ADIZ went around the florida peninsula and did not extend out to the keys. Was enjoying the sights and did not recognize the ADIZ on the chart. Have never dealt with ADIZ requirements as it is not an issue where I fly. On the way to the keys from naples, we had filed an IFR flight plan as we usually do when flying the baron. Part of the problem is not using VFR flight plans often because we generally file IFR. When WX conditions do not warrant an IFR plan, we generally do not file a VFR flight because we are under flight following virtually 100 percent of the time in the northeast where we operate. As the FAA says, if you don't use it, you lose it. This is a factor here. We never deal with the ADIZ requirements here in the northeast and simply did not remember what was required. After our return trip from key west to new hampshire where the ADIZ became an issue once again we reviewed our flts and regulations pertaining to the ADIZ and recognized our errors. It is my understanding that because we were within 3 mi of islands that this flight did not break ADIZ requirements. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states since they weren't leaving the united states they did not think they needed a DVFR flight plan. On entering united states through the ADIZ in north carolina, the controller told them they needed the DVFR flight plan. He also told them, `don't worry, I'll take care of it.' this is the first they were aware of the ADIZ penetrations they had made. Most of the flight until this time had been off shore and with flight following. They had both IFR and VFR charts with them. Supplemental information from acn 268249: the other pilot and I are both active CFI's, but we are based in laconia, nh, and had no experience with ADIZ penetration prior to this. After studying the requirements for ADIZ penetration in the aim, we have decided to always be on an IFR flight plan when flying though an ADIZ, which should solve the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ADIZ PENETRATION WITHOUT DVFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: FILED VFR FLT PLAN TO FLY FROM KEY WEST UP THE KEYS TO MIAMI BEACH AND RETURN. NO STOPS. PURPOSE OF FLT WAS SIGHT SEEING. TOOK OFF FROM KEY WEST AT ABOUT XA15 PM LCL. OBTAINED A DISCRETE CODE FROM KEY WEST NAVAL AIR STATION FOR FLT FOLLOWING. OPENED FLT PLAN WITH MIAMI RADIO. PROCEEDED UP THE KEYS GENERALLY OFF SHORE ABOUT 1/2 MI. WAS INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 1200 BY THE NAVAL AIR STATION AS WE PROCEEDED NE. PENETRATED THE ADIZ AT LONG KEY. WE HAD NOT FILED A DVFR PLAN WHEN WE PENETRATED THE ADIZ, JUST A VFR PLAN. I ASSUMED THAT THE KEYS WERE INSIDE THE ADIZ AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE ADIZ WENT AROUND THE FLORIDA PENINSULA AND DID NOT EXTEND OUT TO THE KEYS. WAS ENJOYING THE SIGHTS AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE ADIZ ON THE CHART. HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH ADIZ REQUIREMENTS AS IT IS NOT AN ISSUE WHERE I FLY. ON THE WAY TO THE KEYS FROM NAPLES, WE HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AS WE USUALLY DO WHEN FLYING THE BARON. PART OF THE PROB IS NOT USING VFR FLT PLANS OFTEN BECAUSE WE GENERALLY FILE IFR. WHEN WX CONDITIONS DO NOT WARRANT AN IFR PLAN, WE GENERALLY DO NOT FILE A VFR FLT BECAUSE WE ARE UNDER FLT FOLLOWING VIRTUALLY 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME IN THE NE WHERE WE OPERATE. AS THE FAA SAYS, IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU LOSE IT. THIS IS A FACTOR HERE. WE NEVER DEAL WITH THE ADIZ REQUIREMENTS HERE IN THE NE AND SIMPLY DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT WAS REQUIRED. AFTER OUR RETURN TRIP FROM KEY WEST TO NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE THE ADIZ BECAME AN ISSUE ONCE AGAIN WE REVIEWED OUR FLTS AND REGS PERTAINING TO THE ADIZ AND RECOGNIZED OUR ERRORS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BECAUSE WE WERE WITHIN 3 MI OF ISLANDS THAT THIS FLT DID NOT BREAK ADIZ REQUIREMENTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES SINCE THEY WEREN'T LEAVING THE UNITED STATES THEY DID NOT THINK THEY NEEDED A DVFR FLT PLAN. ON ENTERING UNITED STATES THROUGH THE ADIZ IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE CTLR TOLD THEM THEY NEEDED THE DVFR FLT PLAN. HE ALSO TOLD THEM, `DON'T WORRY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.' THIS IS THE FIRST THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ADIZ PENETRATIONS THEY HAD MADE. MOST OF THE FLT UNTIL THIS TIME HAD BEEN OFF SHORE AND WITH FLT FOLLOWING. THEY HAD BOTH IFR AND VFR CHARTS WITH THEM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 268249: THE OTHER PLT AND I ARE BOTH ACTIVE CFI'S, BUT WE ARE BASED IN LACONIA, NH, AND HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH ADIZ PENETRATION PRIOR TO THIS. AFTER STUDYING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADIZ PENETRATION IN THE AIM, WE HAVE DECIDED TO ALWAYS BE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WHEN FLYING THOUGH AN ADIZ, WHICH SHOULD SOLVE THE PROB.

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.