C182Q instructor pilot blunders into R2984 airspace while distracted with communication failure.

Attributes
ACN	401649
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dab
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	401649
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My friend, a private pilot, and I took off from 44J at XA30. He was piloting, but not current. We headed east to the ocean then south along the shoreline. Shortly into the flight we realized we had a problem with communications. Our radio failure caused us to divert our attention from the flight path and we penetrated R2934 which was hot. We made 3 orbits attempting to fix our problem with no success and took up a heading for 44J. At that time, an FAA aircraft appeared off our right wing. I tried again to communicate by radio, but no success. We landed at 44J and the FAA plane followed us where we were interviewed by the inspector and notified of our incursion. We had been so involved in our radio problem that it caused our attention to divert from position awareness. Familiarity with the area also, probably, allowed some element of complacency to creep into our thoughts. We were just out for a short flight to exercise the airplane and allow my friend to enjoy a piloting experience. It was a very humbling experience and an embarrassment to me to have an FAA inspector point out my transgression. Position awareness is extremely important.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182Q INSTRUCTOR PLT BLUNDERS INTO R2984 AIRSPACE WHILE DISTRACTED WITH COM FAILURE.

Narrative: MY FRIEND, A PVT PLT, AND I TOOK OFF FROM 44J AT XA30. HE WAS PILOTING, BUT NOT CURRENT. WE HEADED E TO THE OCEAN THEN S ALONG THE SHORELINE. SHORTLY INTO THE FLT WE REALIZED WE HAD A PROB WITH COMS. OUR RADIO FAILURE CAUSED US TO DIVERT OUR ATTN FROM THE FLT PATH AND WE PENETRATED R2934 WHICH WAS HOT. WE MADE 3 ORBITS ATTEMPTING TO FIX OUR PROB WITH NO SUCCESS AND TOOK UP A HEADING FOR 44J. AT THAT TIME, AN FAA ACFT APPEARED OFF OUR R WING. I TRIED AGAIN TO COMMUNICATE BY RADIO, BUT NO SUCCESS. WE LANDED AT 44J AND THE FAA PLANE FOLLOWED US WHERE WE WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE INSPECTOR AND NOTIFIED OF OUR INCURSION. WE HAD BEEN SO INVOLVED IN OUR RADIO PROB THAT IT CAUSED OUR ATTN TO DIVERT FROM POS AWARENESS. FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA ALSO, PROBABLY, ALLOWED SOME ELEMENT OF COMPLACENCY TO CREEP INTO OUR THOUGHTS. WE WERE JUST OUT FOR A SHORT FLT TO EXERCISE THE AIRPLANE AND ALLOW MY FRIEND TO ENJOY A PILOTING EXPERIENCE. IT WAS A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO ME TO HAVE AN FAA INSPECTOR POINT OUT MY TRANSGRESSION. POS AWARENESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

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.