Small aircraft seaplane crosses fir and into class D airspace.

Attributes
ACN	301039
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyj airport : fhr
State Reference	BC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cyyj tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	301039
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I inadvertently strayed into the vancouver fir and maybe into victoria international control zone while exploring the san juan islands for the first time by float plane. My spouse was reading the map from the back seat, naming the islands as we flew by. Just after rounding the west end of henderson island, I became distracted while trying to help my child with the headset. I thought I turned north, but apparently went northwest. By the time I got back to the map, nothing looked right. Tried to turn around on the magnetic compass, but it seemed to be wrong. I wandered around for 10 mins trying to re-orient, thinking I was on the united states side. I finally climbed up and used VOR radials to establish my position and found myself north of stuart island. Lesson learned: 1) let someone else help passenger during flight or land first, 2) constantly verify headings when using pilotage, 3) keep track of where you are on the map at all times, 4) be sure of your instruments functionability.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA SEAPLANE CROSSES FIR AND INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I INADVERTENTLY STRAYED INTO THE VANCOUVER FIR AND MAYBE INTO VICTORIA INTL CTL ZONE WHILE EXPLORING THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS FOR THE FIRST TIME BY FLOAT PLANE. MY SPOUSE WAS READING THE MAP FROM THE BACK SEAT, NAMING THE ISLANDS AS WE FLEW BY. JUST AFTER ROUNDING THE W END OF HENDERSON ISLAND, I BECAME DISTRACTED WHILE TRYING TO HELP MY CHILD WITH THE HEADSET. I THOUGHT I TURNED N, BUT APPARENTLY WENT NW. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK TO THE MAP, NOTHING LOOKED RIGHT. TRIED TO TURN AROUND ON THE MAGNETIC COMPASS, BUT IT SEEMED TO BE WRONG. I WANDERED AROUND FOR 10 MINS TRYING TO RE-ORIENT, THINKING I WAS ON THE UNITED STATES SIDE. I FINALLY CLBED UP AND USED VOR RADIALS TO ESTABLISH MY POS AND FOUND MYSELF N OF STUART ISLAND. LESSON LEARNED: 1) LET SOMEONE ELSE HELP PAX DURING FLT OR LAND FIRST, 2) CONSTANTLY VERIFY HDGS WHEN USING PILOTAGE, 3) KEEP TRACK OF WHERE YOU ARE ON THE MAP AT ALL TIMES, 4) BE SURE OF YOUR INSTS FUNCTIONABILITY.

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.