Small aircraft pilot penetrates restr area.

Attributes
ACN	299903
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elp
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : elp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 5562 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	299903
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed el paso, climbed out through pass to northwest under radar departure coverage. Cleared the southwest corner of 5107A under radar coverage, coverage terminated and frequency change approved. Advised by flight service that R5111 a, B, C and 5107E were not in use. Turned more northerly to approximately 320 degree heading. The WAC chart in use showed 5107A clearly, but only a line less than 1 millimeter thick of the base of 5107B is shown, but not labeled at all. I believed this to be the base of 5111B (incorrectly) at the time of the radar handoff. Given the climb out - cruise transition and radar handoff and frequency change etc, and nearing the edge of the government chart all at the same time plus strong westerly winds, in just a few moments to select the next chart, a chain of events occurred which left me heading straight towards the southwest corner of 5107B. When I sequenced to the next chart (still over ch-23 terrain) I immediately recognized that the base of 5107B was indeed not the base of R5111B (the area not in use) but a hot restricted area, a quick look at the terrain indicated that I was indeed 'painted into a corner.' a prudent turn away from the restricted area followed. I do not believe that I actually penetrated the hot area, but it was too close for my liking. The sucker hole that I wandered myself into was, I believe due in part to the above series of events, but I believe, could have been avoided if there was a bit more overlap of the government charts. It does take a bit more concentration and sometimes substantial time to re-orient after a chart crossing that could be avoided or at least simplified with an inch or 2 of chart overlap along the edges. I have over 5500 logged hours and have never had an accident, incident or violation and have very few such sits occur. I plan carefully and am quite careful, but this one did sneak up on me despite planning and caution in departing el paso.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PENETRATES RESTR AREA.

Narrative: DEPARTED EL PASO, CLBED OUT THROUGH PASS TO NW UNDER RADAR DEP COVERAGE. CLRED THE SW CORNER OF 5107A UNDER RADAR COVERAGE, COVERAGE TERMINATED AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. ADVISED BY FLT SVC THAT R5111 A, B, C AND 5107E WERE NOT IN USE. TURNED MORE NORTHERLY TO APPROX 320 DEG HDG. THE WAC CHART IN USE SHOWED 5107A CLRLY, BUT ONLY A LINE LESS THAN 1 MILLIMETER THICK OF THE BASE OF 5107B IS SHOWN, BUT NOT LABELED AT ALL. I BELIEVED THIS TO BE THE BASE OF 5111B (INCORRECTLY) AT THE TIME OF THE RADAR HDOF. GIVEN THE CLBOUT - CRUISE TRANSITION AND RADAR HDOF AND FREQ CHANGE ETC, AND NEARING THE EDGE OF THE GOV CHART ALL AT THE SAME TIME PLUS STRONG WESTERLY WINDS, IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS TO SELECT THE NEXT CHART, A CHAIN OF EVENTS OCCURRED WHICH LEFT ME HDG STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE SW CORNER OF 5107B. WHEN I SEQUENCED TO THE NEXT CHART (STILL OVER CH-23 TERRAIN) I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THAT THE BASE OF 5107B WAS INDEED NOT THE BASE OF R5111B (THE AREA NOT IN USE) BUT A HOT RESTRICTED AREA, A QUICK LOOK AT THE TERRAIN INDICATED THAT I WAS INDEED 'PAINTED INTO A CORNER.' A PRUDENT TURN AWAY FROM THE RESTRICTED AREA FOLLOWED. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I ACTUALLY PENETRATED THE HOT AREA, BUT IT WAS TOO CLOSE FOR MY LIKING. THE SUCKER HOLE THAT I WANDERED MYSELF INTO WAS, I BELIEVE DUE IN PART TO THE ABOVE SERIES OF EVENTS, BUT I BELIEVE, COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THERE WAS A BIT MORE OVERLAP OF THE GOV CHARTS. IT DOES TAKE A BIT MORE CONCENTRATION AND SOMETIMES SUBSTANTIAL TIME TO RE-ORIENT AFTER A CHART XING THAT COULD BE AVOIDED OR AT LEAST SIMPLIFIED WITH AN INCH OR 2 OF CHART OVERLAP ALONG THE EDGES. I HAVE OVER 5500 LOGGED HRS AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT, INCIDENT OR VIOLATION AND HAVE VERY FEW SUCH SITS OCCUR. I PLAN CAREFULLY AND AM QUITE CAREFUL, BUT THIS ONE DID SNEAK UP ON ME DESPITE PLANNING AND CAUTION IN DEPARTING EL PASO.

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.