Pilot of a C172 flew into restr airspace when becoming disoriented due to deteriorating WX condition...

Attributes
ACN	401040
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : apg airport : mtn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mtn tower : apg
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	401040
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crossed the susquehanna at 1800 ft and direct mtn. The WX at mtn was reporting 1700 ft and 3 mi visibility. The ceiling started to drop so I started a gradual descent in order to maintain VFR. I contacted mtn tower 10 mi northwest of the airport and at 800 ft in order to maintain cloud clearance. Continued inbound until the ceiling dropped quickly placing us at 500 ft to maintain cloud clearance. At this point I started to turn the aircraft around to head back the way we came. The pilot in the right seat, who had higher hours and more experience offered to take the controls. He turned the aircraft 30 degrees to the left to avoid lower clouds and continued inbound to mtn. A few mins later we looked down to see phillips airfield. Realizing that we were in a restr area (R-4001A) I went to grab the yoke to turn us away from the restr area, but the other pilot had already started to turn. At this point the control tower requested our heading and reported that we were in the restr area. I took control of the aircraft and diverted to another airport due to the decreasing conditions at mtn. For the future I will be more cautious of turning the controls over to another pilot. The first thing I should have done in this situation was turn the aircraft around and head for better conditions. After that I could have either diverted to another airport or continue the trip IFR and shoot an approach in to mtn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C172 FLEW INTO RESTR AIRSPACE WHEN BECOMING DISORIENTED DUE TO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: CROSSED THE SUSQUEHANNA AT 1800 FT AND DIRECT MTN. THE WX AT MTN WAS RPTING 1700 FT AND 3 MI VISIBILITY. THE CEILING STARTED TO DROP SO I STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR. I CONTACTED MTN TWR 10 MI NW OF THE ARPT AND AT 800 FT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNC. CONTINUED INBOUND UNTIL THE CEILING DROPPED QUICKLY PLACING US AT 500 FT TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNC. AT THIS POINT I STARTED TO TURN THE ACFT AROUND TO HEAD BACK THE WAY WE CAME. THE PLT IN THE R SEAT, WHO HAD HIGHER HRS AND MORE EXPERIENCE OFFERED TO TAKE THE CTLS. HE TURNED THE ACFT 30 DEGS TO THE L TO AVOID LOWER CLOUDS AND CONTINUED INBOUND TO MTN. A FEW MINS LATER WE LOOKED DOWN TO SEE PHILLIPS AIRFIELD. REALIZING THAT WE WERE IN A RESTR AREA (R-4001A) I WENT TO GRAB THE YOKE TO TURN US AWAY FROM THE RESTR AREA, BUT THE OTHER PLT HAD ALREADY STARTED TO TURN. AT THIS POINT THE CTL TWR REQUESTED OUR HEADING AND RPTED THAT WE WERE IN THE RESTR AREA. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT DUE TO THE DECREASING CONDITIONS AT MTN. FOR THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS OF TURNING THE CTLS OVER TO ANOTHER PLT. THE FIRST THING I SHOULD HAVE DONE IN THIS SIT WAS TURN THE ACFT AROUND AND HEAD FOR BETTER CONDITIONS. AFTER THAT I COULD HAVE EITHER DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT OR CONTINUE THE TRIP IFR AND SHOOT AN APCH IN TO MTN.

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.

Pilot of a C172 flew into restr airspace when becoming disoriented due to deteriorating WX conditions.