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Private pilot on local flight erroneously entered class D airspace. Using GPS reporter failed to notice that it was set for kilometers versus nautical mi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332357 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bjc |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bjc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 490 flight time type : 470 |
| ASRS Report | 332357 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On a local sightseeing pleasure flight, I was returning to base at 1v5, and decided to skirt bjc class D airspace, using a portable ii morrow 920+am, for supplemental navigation (VFR). Using the GPS database, I put in bjc as a waypoint and used a navigation page which gives the distance to the center of the airport (class D airspace originating point to outer limits of class D airspace). The distance from the center of bjc to my position read 6.2 KM. When I was on short final, I heard a faint radio call, on 1v5 CTAF, 'did you receive any xmissions from class D airspace?' I responded, 'no,' and touched down. There was no further radio communication. My curiosity piqued, I thought, 'did I fly into class D airspace?' I then did a close inspection of the GPS settings and found the navigation display units were set to KM/kph (kilometer/kilometer per hour) instead of NM/KTS (nautical mi/KTS). This setting allowed me to cross class D airspace when I thought I was well out of class D airspace. Factors which led to this situation are the following: 1) the GPS unit, being portable and multipurpose, was used by persons associated with me for educational purposes, and I did not review and reset the navigation display units to NM/KTS. I assumed the GPS units were still set for nautical mi and didn't notice the difference between KM and NM. 2) overconfidence in my ability to use GPS because I teach GPS to the public. 3) need to get my passenger back to the airport in an expeditious manner to accommodate his schedule. Methodology for correction: 1) review the entire GPS programming menu for navigation units and other navigation functions before flight. 2) put the GPS on the preflight checklist. 3) don't get the attitude that GPS is perfect and need not be questioned. 4) check your flight path by landmarks and use GPS as a backup not a primary method of navigation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT ON LCL FLT ERRONEOUSLY ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE. USING GPS RPTR FAILED TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS SET FOR KILOMETERS VERSUS NAUTICAL MI.
Narrative: ON A LCL SIGHTSEEING PLEASURE FLT, I WAS RETURNING TO BASE AT 1V5, AND DECIDED TO SKIRT BJC CLASS D AIRSPACE, USING A PORTABLE II MORROW 920+AM, FOR SUPPLEMENTAL NAV (VFR). USING THE GPS DATABASE, I PUT IN BJC AS A WAYPOINT AND USED A NAV PAGE WHICH GIVES THE DISTANCE TO THE CTR OF THE ARPT (CLASS D AIRSPACE ORIGINATING POINT TO OUTER LIMITS OF CLASS D AIRSPACE). THE DISTANCE FROM THE CTR OF BJC TO MY POS READ 6.2 KM. WHEN I WAS ON SHORT FINAL, I HEARD A FAINT RADIO CALL, ON 1V5 CTAF, 'DID YOU RECEIVE ANY XMISSIONS FROM CLASS D AIRSPACE?' I RESPONDED, 'NO,' AND TOUCHED DOWN. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO COM. MY CURIOSITY PIQUED, I THOUGHT, 'DID I FLY INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE?' I THEN DID A CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE GPS SETTINGS AND FOUND THE NAV DISPLAY UNITS WERE SET TO KM/KPH (KILOMETER/KILOMETER PER HR) INSTEAD OF NM/KTS (NAUTICAL MI/KTS). THIS SETTING ALLOWED ME TO CROSS CLASS D AIRSPACE WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS WELL OUT OF CLASS D AIRSPACE. FACTORS WHICH LED TO THIS SIT ARE THE FOLLOWING: 1) THE GPS UNIT, BEING PORTABLE AND MULTIPURPOSE, WAS USED BY PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH ME FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, AND I DID NOT REVIEW AND RESET THE NAV DISPLAY UNITS TO NM/KTS. I ASSUMED THE GPS UNITS WERE STILL SET FOR NAUTICAL MI AND DIDN'T NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BTWN KM AND NM. 2) OVERCONFIDENCE IN MY ABILITY TO USE GPS BECAUSE I TEACH GPS TO THE PUBLIC. 3) NEED TO GET MY PAX BACK TO THE ARPT IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER TO ACCOMMODATE HIS SCHEDULE. METHODOLOGY FOR CORRECTION: 1) REVIEW THE ENTIRE GPS PROGRAMMING MENU FOR NAV UNITS AND OTHER NAV FUNCTIONS BEFORE FLT. 2) PUT THE GPS ON THE PREFLT CHKLIST. 3) DON'T GET THE ATTITUDE THAT GPS IS PERFECT AND NEED NOT BE QUESTIONED. 4) CHK YOUR FLT PATH BY LANDMARKS AND USE GPS AS A BACKUP NOT A PRIMARY METHOD OF NAV.
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.