A C172 pilot reports of ADIZ penetration without prior notification. The reporter had departed south...

Attributes
ACN	339016
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vkz
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia tower : cvg
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	DVR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 145 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	339016
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was my first flight to bimini. I departed tmb in miami. I received a squawk code and flight following from miami approach. I picked up 2 friends in bimini and took off heading south towards CAT cay to gain altitude and to get a squawk from miami approach. At 3000 ft I was unable to make contact. I continued a climb to my intended cruise altitude of 4500 ft and tried mia approach again, and had no luck. I was back near bimini at this point. After trying several different frequencys for miami approach I decided to cross the ADIZ thinking my problem was distance. Before I made this flight I had called mia FSS who informed me that it was acceptable to penetrate the ADIZ, as they realized it is difficult to reach the altitude needed to contact mia approach in some lower powered airplanes. I continued across towards tmb (my intended destination) and tried to contact mia approach, the whole way back. I finally made contact with mia approach at 8 NM from the virginia key VOR. Mia gave me a squawk and a telephone number to contact ZMA once I touched down. They also informed united states customs of my arrival time. I explained my problem to customs and ZMA. I could receive as far as bimini but could not transmit. Even at 8 NM from virginia key VOR mia approach said my transmission was weak. This plane had been checked out 2 times the week prior to my trip for radio transmission problems. Prior to takeoff in bimini I had filed a VFR flight plan with adcus in the remarks section. I also tried to activate it and get a squawk code through the bimini VOR. I was told ahead of time (prior to making the trip) that this doesn't always work. The day after the flight I went back out to tmb to talk with united states customs and try to find out what I should have done. They weren't sure about flight procedures. They were only concerned with me entering the united states without their knowledge. I also called ZMA about what happened. They said if I made every attempt to try radio communications that what I did was acceptable given the circumstances.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT RPTS OF ADIZ PENETRATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION. THE RPTR HAD DEPARTED S BIMINI AND COULD NOT XMIT TO MIA APCH. THE PLT CONTINUED TOWARD THE UNITED STATES, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT UNTIL 8 NM FROM MIA. THE ACFT'S RADIO WAS NOT XMITTING PROPERLY.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT TO BIMINI. I DEPARTED TMB IN MIAMI. I RECEIVED A SQUAWK CODE AND FLT FOLLOWING FROM MIAMI APCH. I PICKED UP 2 FRIENDS IN BIMINI AND TOOK OFF HDG S TOWARDS CAT CAY TO GAIN ALT AND TO GET A SQUAWK FROM MIAMI APCH. AT 3000 FT I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. I CONTINUED A CLB TO MY INTENDED CRUISE ALT OF 4500 FT AND TRIED MIA APCH AGAIN, AND HAD NO LUCK. I WAS BACK NEAR BIMINI AT THIS POINT. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL DIFFERENT FREQS FOR MIAMI APCH I DECIDED TO CROSS THE ADIZ THINKING MY PROB WAS DISTANCE. BEFORE I MADE THIS FLT I HAD CALLED MIA FSS WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS ACCEPTABLE TO PENETRATE THE ADIZ, AS THEY REALIZED IT IS DIFFICULT TO REACH THE ALT NEEDED TO CONTACT MIA APCH IN SOME LOWER POWERED AIRPLANES. I CONTINUED ACROSS TOWARDS TMB (MY INTENDED DEST) AND TRIED TO CONTACT MIA APCH, THE WHOLE WAY BACK. I FINALLY MADE CONTACT WITH MIA APCH AT 8 NM FROM THE VIRGINIA KEY VOR. MIA GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT ZMA ONCE I TOUCHED DOWN. THEY ALSO INFORMED UNITED STATES CUSTOMS OF MY ARR TIME. I EXPLAINED MY PROB TO CUSTOMS AND ZMA. I COULD RECEIVE AS FAR AS BIMINI BUT COULD NOT XMIT. EVEN AT 8 NM FROM VIRGINIA KEY VOR MIA APCH SAID MY XMISSION WAS WEAK. THIS PLANE HAD BEEN CHKED OUT 2 TIMES THE WK PRIOR TO MY TRIP FOR RADIO XMISSION PROBS. PRIOR TO TKOF IN BIMINI I HAD FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WITH ADCUS IN THE REMARKS SECTION. I ALSO TRIED TO ACTIVATE IT AND GET A SQUAWK CODE THROUGH THE BIMINI VOR. I WAS TOLD AHEAD OF TIME (PRIOR TO MAKING THE TRIP) THAT THIS DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. THE DAY AFTER THE FLT I WENT BACK OUT TO TMB TO TALK WITH UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE. THEY WEREN'T SURE ABOUT FLT PROCS. THEY WERE ONLY CONCERNED WITH ME ENTERING THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE. I ALSO CALLED ZMA ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID IF I MADE EVERY ATTEMPT TO TRY RADIO COMS THAT WHAT I DID WAS ACCEPTABLE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.