Unauthorized penetration of 'C' airspace.

Attributes
ACN	268655
Time
Date	199404
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fat tower : mem
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	268655
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was using a GPS and pilotage to navigation an open cockpit bi- plane from mariposa, ca to visalia, ca, with an intermediary waypoint of harris river airport in order to avoid the fresno arsa. I was level at 3500 ft MSL and, while comparing my chart location with the GPS position, I became aware that I was within the eastern sector of the fresno arsa. I departed the arsa southeast of fresno and continued to visalia for a fuel stop. I spoke with fresno TRACON concerning the event. I believe that my unfamiliarity with the new GPS caused me not to observe that I was going direct from waypoint 1 to waypoint 3 without going to waypoint 2. My forward vision in the stearman bi-plane is somewhat restr since it is flown from the rear seat. This requires making heading changes to observe landmarks ahead for pilotage purposes. This could have been avoided by programming fresno into the GPS for distance reference or by climbing to 5500 ft MSL and flying over the fresno arsa.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF 'C' AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS USING A GPS AND PILOTAGE TO NAV AN OPEN COCKPIT BI- PLANE FROM MARIPOSA, CA TO VISALIA, CA, WITH AN INTERMEDIARY WAYPOINT OF HARRIS RIVER ARPT IN ORDER TO AVOID THE FRESNO ARSA. I WAS LEVEL AT 3500 FT MSL AND, WHILE COMPARING MY CHART LOCATION WITH THE GPS POS, I BECAME AWARE THAT I WAS WITHIN THE EASTERN SECTOR OF THE FRESNO ARSA. I DEPARTED THE ARSA SE OF FRESNO AND CONTINUED TO VISALIA FOR A FUEL STOP. I SPOKE WITH FRESNO TRACON CONCERNING THE EVENT. I BELIEVE THAT MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE NEW GPS CAUSED ME NOT TO OBSERVE THAT I WAS GOING DIRECT FROM WAYPOINT 1 TO WAYPOINT 3 WITHOUT GOING TO WAYPOINT 2. MY FORWARD VISION IN THE STEARMAN BI-PLANE IS SOMEWHAT RESTR SINCE IT IS FLOWN FROM THE REAR SEAT. THIS REQUIRES MAKING HDG CHANGES TO OBSERVE LANDMARKS AHEAD FOR PILOTAGE PURPOSES. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY PROGRAMMING FRESNO INTO THE GPS FOR DISTANCE REF OR BY CLBING TO 5500 FT MSL AND FLYING OVER THE FRESNO ARSA.

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.