BE02 flight crew enters swf class D without calling tower first. First officer cites flight crew distraction during communication with N90 approach controller who had pointed out traffic. Both controller and flight crew were delayed in their xfer to swf tower. Flight was operating under VFR, not a normal operation mode.

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Attributes
ACN	365060
Time
Date	199704
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : swf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 2670 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	365060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Under day VFR, ny approach was giving us radar advisories into the swf field. As we got closer, he was trying to point out traffic to us, and when we saw it, we were turned over to the tower. Unfortunately, when I contacted swf tower, we were already in the class D by about 1 mi. There were no conflicts and the tower had no problem with our error. I believe this 'late' call to the tower was caused by our distraction with talking with approach control and locating traffic. Because we rarely operate VFR, our complacency with IFR did not force us to operate in a VFR manner. Looking back, we should have slowed, or turned while still with ny approach, and then called while 5 or 6 mi out. Although it is not ATC's responsibility to advise VFR aircraft of airspace penetration, it would have helped if we were turned over to the tower sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE02 FLC ENTERS SWF CLASS D WITHOUT CALLING TWR FIRST. FO CITES FLC DISTR DURING COM WITH N90 APCH CTLR WHO HAD POINTED OUT TFC. BOTH CTLR AND FLC WERE DELAYED IN THEIR XFER TO SWF TWR. FLT WAS OPERATING UNDER VFR, NOT A NORMAL OP MODE.

Narrative: UNDER DAY VFR, NY APCH WAS GIVING US RADAR ADVISORIES INTO THE SWF FIELD. AS WE GOT CLOSER, HE WAS TRYING TO POINT OUT TFC TO US, AND WHEN WE SAW IT, WE WERE TURNED OVER TO THE TWR. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I CONTACTED SWF TWR, WE WERE ALREADY IN THE CLASS D BY ABOUT 1 MI. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS AND THE TWR HAD NO PROB WITH OUR ERROR. I BELIEVE THIS 'LATE' CALL TO THE TWR WAS CAUSED BY OUR DISTR WITH TALKING WITH APCH CTL AND LOCATING TFC. BECAUSE WE RARELY OPERATE VFR, OUR COMPLACENCY WITH IFR DID NOT FORCE US TO OPERATE IN A VFR MANNER. LOOKING BACK, WE SHOULD HAVE SLOWED, OR TURNED WHILE STILL WITH NY APCH, AND THEN CALLED WHILE 5 OR 6 MI OUT. ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT ATC'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVISE VFR ACFT OF AIRSPACE PENETRATION, IT WOULD HAVE HELPED IF WE WERE TURNED OVER TO THE TWR SOONER.

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.