A DH8 first officer report on the penetration of P56 at dca during a vectored arrival to runway 15.

Attributes
ACN	422600
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	arrival other departure : noise abatement enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 3880 flight time type : 540
ASRS Report	422600
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose while being vectored for the visual approach to runway 15 at dca. We were on right downwind for runway 15 with the airport in sight. Dca approach issued a heading of 050 degrees for base leg and cleared us from 6000 ft to 4000 ft. We were turned unusually close to the airport for our altitude. In addition, approach told us of traffic (VFR) at our 11:30 position at 3500 ft. As we continued our descent, approach again gave the VFR target's position and altitude. As we passed the extended centerline of runway 15, we called the traffic in sight. At this point we were probably too high for an approach to runway 15. The controller asked if we could make runway 21. We replied yes. We were cleared for the visual to runway 21 and also told to maintain visual separation with the traffic (a high wing cessna?). The traffic began or was in a turn. As we descended through the traffic's altitude, it was necessary to shallow our turn radius to avoid the traffic. At this point, we were aware of our proximity to area P56. However, most of our attention was on avoiding the banking VFR target. We kept our aircraft at what we perceived to be a safe distance from the traffic. I believe we flew into P56 during this maneuvering around the traffic. From my vantage point I could not physically see the eastern shore of the potomac river that denotes the P56 border in that area. The captain was informed upon landing (by landline to the tower) that we had flown into P56. This situation could have been avoided. I believe any one of the following would have prevented flight into P56: 1) allowing greater separation from P56 in approach sectors. 2) keeping VFR traffic away from approach areas (transient). 3) not accepting visual approachs, thus not descending. 4) not accepting descent near traffic or not agreeing to maintain visual separation. 5) if a vector is given that puts the aircraft on a direct course for P56, advise the distance from P56 border. 6) better judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DH8 FO RPT ON THE PENETRATION OF P56 AT DCA DURING A VECTORED ARR TO RWY 15.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 15 AT DCA. WE WERE ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 15 WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT. DCA APCH ISSUED A HDG OF 050 DEGS FOR BASE LEG AND CLRED US FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT. WE WERE TURNED UNUSUALLY CLOSE TO THE ARPT FOR OUR ALT. IN ADDITION, APCH TOLD US OF TFC (VFR) AT OUR 11:30 POS AT 3500 FT. AS WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT, APCH AGAIN GAVE THE VFR TARGET'S POS AND ALT. AS WE PASSED THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 15, WE CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT. AT THIS POINT WE WERE PROBABLY TOO HIGH FOR AN APCH TO RWY 15. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD MAKE RWY 21. WE REPLIED YES. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 21 AND ALSO TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE TFC (A HIGH WING CESSNA?). THE TFC BEGAN OR WAS IN A TURN. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH THE TFC'S ALT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO SHALLOW OUR TURN RADIUS TO AVOID THE TFC. AT THIS POINT, WE WERE AWARE OF OUR PROX TO AREA P56. HOWEVER, MOST OF OUR ATTN WAS ON AVOIDING THE BANKING VFR TARGET. WE KEPT OUR ACFT AT WHAT WE PERCEIVED TO BE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE TFC. I BELIEVE WE FLEW INTO P56 DURING THIS MANEUVERING AROUND THE TFC. FROM MY VANTAGE POINT I COULD NOT PHYSICALLY SEE THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE POTOMAC RIVER THAT DENOTES THE P56 BORDER IN THAT AREA. THE CAPT WAS INFORMED UPON LNDG (BY LANDLINE TO THE TWR) THAT WE HAD FLOWN INTO P56. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I BELIEVE ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WOULD HAVE PREVENTED FLT INTO P56: 1) ALLOWING GREATER SEPARATION FROM P56 IN APCH SECTORS. 2) KEEPING VFR TFC AWAY FROM APCH AREAS (TRANSIENT). 3) NOT ACCEPTING VISUAL APCHS, THUS NOT DSNDING. 4) NOT ACCEPTING DSCNT NEAR TFC OR NOT AGREEING TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. 5) IF A VECTOR IS GIVEN THAT PUTS THE ACFT ON A DIRECT COURSE FOR P56, ADVISE THE DISTANCE FROM P56 BORDER. 6) BETTER JUDGEMENT.

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.