Narrative:

I departed VFR from ekx en route to lou. A direct route would violate the fort knox restr area which is southwest of louisville. It is necessary to fly approximately 060 degrees from ekx for approximately 10 mi before turning north to lou, in order to avoid the restr area. The eastern perimeter of the restr area is more or less contiguous with I-65. That is, if you remain east of I-65, you will avoid the restr area. After departure, I took up a heading of 060 degrees from ekx and contacted louisville approach for TA's and a clearance into class C airspace (louisville international airport) for the transition to bowman. I was at approximately 2000 ft MSL. I was given a squawk code, but I was too low and far out for radar contact due to the hills in the fort knox area. Still on my 060 degree heading and waiting for radar contact, I had to descend to 1600- 1700 ft due to lowering ceiling. Visibility was MVFR in the area. I was looking for I-65 so I could turn north toward bowman. I crossed a limited access highway after a few mins, which I thought was I-65. I was wrong. It was a road approximately 1.5 mi west of I-65. So when I turned north, I flew into the restr area. By the time I realized what happened, I was at least 1 or 2 mi inside. Orientation was difficult because of my low altitude, and the absence of obvious landmarks. When I saw a tank firing range below me (not in use on this rainy day, thank god) I knew what had happened. I immediately turned southeast to exit the restr area. Louisville approach was apparently unaware of the violation, because the controller did not announce radar contact until I was east of I-65 and had gained some altitude. I will never again rely on a highway exclusively for VFR navigation, especially in marginal conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT IN A BE35 FLIES INTO A RESTR AREA WITHOUT CLRNC. HE WAS RUNNING BENEATH THE CLOUDS AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE CORRECT HWY FOR HIS POSITIONAL AWARENESS.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VFR FROM EKX ENRTE TO LOU. A DIRECT RTE WOULD VIOLATE THE FORT KNOX RESTR AREA WHICH IS SW OF LOUISVILLE. IT IS NECESSARY TO FLY APPROX 060 DEGS FROM EKX FOR APPROX 10 MI BEFORE TURNING N TO LOU, IN ORDER TO AVOID THE RESTR AREA. THE EASTERN PERIMETER OF THE RESTR AREA IS MORE OR LESS CONTIGUOUS WITH I-65. THAT IS, IF YOU REMAIN E OF I-65, YOU WILL AVOID THE RESTR AREA. AFTER DEP, I TOOK UP A HDG OF 060 DEGS FROM EKX AND CONTACTED LOUISVILLE APCH FOR TA'S AND A CLRNC INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE (LOUISVILLE INTL ARPT) FOR THE TRANSITION TO BOWMAN. I WAS AT APPROX 2000 FT MSL. I WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE, BUT I WAS TOO LOW AND FAR OUT FOR RADAR CONTACT DUE TO THE HILLS IN THE FORT KNOX AREA. STILL ON MY 060 DEG HDG AND WAITING FOR RADAR CONTACT, I HAD TO DSND TO 1600- 1700 FT DUE TO LOWERING CEILING. VISIBILITY WAS MVFR IN THE AREA. I WAS LOOKING FOR I-65 SO I COULD TURN N TOWARD BOWMAN. I CROSSED A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY AFTER A FEW MINS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS I-65. I WAS WRONG. IT WAS A ROAD APPROX 1.5 MI W OF I-65. SO WHEN I TURNED N, I FLEW INTO THE RESTR AREA. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED, I WAS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 MI INSIDE. ORIENTATION WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF MY LOW ALT, AND THE ABSENCE OF OBVIOUS LANDMARKS. WHEN I SAW A TANK FIRING RANGE BELOW ME (NOT IN USE ON THIS RAINY DAY, THANK GOD) I KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED SE TO EXIT THE RESTR AREA. LOUISVILLE APCH WAS APPARENTLY UNAWARE OF THE VIOLATION, BECAUSE THE CTLR DID NOT ANNOUNCE RADAR CONTACT UNTIL I WAS E OF I-65 AND HAD GAINED SOME ALT. I WILL NEVER AGAIN RELY ON A HWY EXCLUSIVELY FOR VFR NAV, ESPECIALLY IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS.

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.