A government hurricane hunter aircraft entered class 'D' airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	271222
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Orion (P3)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 4760 flight time type : 2261
ASRS Report	271222
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft operated by a government agency was tasked to fly a photo mission down the east coast of fl and along the gulf of mexico. Much of the flying was to be done at low level, 250 ft. Approaching eyw, the first officer attempted to contact eyw tower on the wrong frequency. The reporter spotted the eyw runway and turned left to the sea to avoid the eyw class 'D' airspace. Too late. Communication was finally established with eyw tower but not before an air carrier commuter was jeopardized. The reporter lists a high work load watching for traffic and maintaining a constant standoff from the coastline as well as the altitude hold not working on the autoplt. As factors contributing to this incident. The reporting captain regrets the poor pre-mission briefing and the confusion that he caused.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GOV HURRICANE HUNTER ACFT ENTERED CLASS 'D' AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: A P-3 HURRICANE HUNTER ACFT OPERATED BY A GOV AGENCY WAS TASKED TO FLY A PHOTO MISSION DOWN THE E COAST OF FL AND ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO. MUCH OF THE FLYING WAS TO BE DONE AT LOW LEVEL, 250 FT. APCHING EYW, THE FO ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT EYW TWR ON THE WRONG FREQ. THE RPTR SPOTTED THE EYW RWY AND TURNED L TO THE SEA TO AVOID THE EYW CLASS 'D' AIRSPACE. TOO LATE. COM WAS FINALLY ESTABLISHED WITH EYW TWR BUT NOT BEFORE AN ACR COMMUTER WAS JEOPARDIZED. THE RPTR LISTS A HIGH WORK LOAD WATCHING FOR TFC AND MAINTAINING A CONSTANT STANDOFF FROM THE COASTLINE AS WELL AS THE ALT HOLD NOT WORKING ON THE AUTOPLT. AS FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT. THE RPTING CAPT REGRETS THE POOR PRE-MISSION BRIEFING AND THE CONFUSION THAT HE CAUSED.

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.