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Pilot became distraction trying to eliminate GPS warning and descended into P40 (prohibited area). ATC intervened and alerted reporter that he had descended into P40.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 339209 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hgr |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4850 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1160 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 339209 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Flight was cleared agc-jst-ths-hgr-EMI-mtn. Over ths I was released direct EMI at 5000 ft. This took the flight over P40, which extends from ground up to but excluding 5000 ft MSL. The aircraft is fitted with a VFR-only GPS. This unit was new to me and since the manual was missing, I had familiarized myself with it en route. While above P40, it was flashing constant warnings and in trying to clear the warning, the aircraft descended to 4850 ft. I was alerted to this by a call from center asking for confirmation that altitude was 5000 ft. I recovered to 5000 ft within 10 seconds and reported level 5000 ft. Nothing further was said on the matter. The main contributing factor was distraction caused by attempting to operate an unfamiliar device.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT BECAME DISTR TRYING TO ELIMINATE GPS WARNING AND DSNDED INTO P40 (PROHIBITED AREA). ATC INTERVENED AND ALERTED RPTR THAT HE HAD DSNDED INTO P40.
Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED AGC-JST-THS-HGR-EMI-MTN. OVER THS I WAS RELEASED DIRECT EMI AT 5000 FT. THIS TOOK THE FLT OVER P40, WHICH EXTENDS FROM GND UP TO BUT EXCLUDING 5000 FT MSL. THE ACFT IS FITTED WITH A VFR-ONLY GPS. THIS UNIT WAS NEW TO ME AND SINCE THE MANUAL WAS MISSING, I HAD FAMILIARIZED MYSELF WITH IT ENRTE. WHILE ABOVE P40, IT WAS FLASHING CONSTANT WARNINGS AND IN TRYING TO CLR THE WARNING, THE ACFT DSNDED TO 4850 FT. I WAS ALERTED TO THIS BY A CALL FROM CTR ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION THAT ALT WAS 5000 FT. I RECOVERED TO 5000 FT WITHIN 10 SECONDS AND RPTED LEVEL 5000 FT. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID ON THE MATTER. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS DISTR CAUSED BY ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE AN UNFAMILIAR DEVICE.
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.