Narrative:

Situation occurred on a return flight to home station. I had filed both IFR flight plans earlier in the day. After the passenger drop-off at vrb, we were returning to stl. Vrb tower closed as we prepared to depart. We decided to take off VFR, code 1200, and pick up our IFR clearance when we were airborne and in contact with ZMA. Soon after takeoff I made an initial call to center. Center was busy and I was told to 'stand by.' we flew westerly and climbed to 4500 ft MSL. Later, after a second call to center and a second 'stand by,' I asked how long a delay it would be to pick up my IFR clearance to stl. Center replied, he didn't realize I was waiting for an IFR clearance, gave me a transponder code and had me change to another sector controller who gave me the IFR clearance to climb and proceed to lakeland (lal) and as filed. While we were waiting for clearance we had climbed to 6500 ft MSL, were concerned for other aircraft, the orl class B airspace, the MOA's and other central florida special airspace. We were issued our IFR clearance over avon park airport, at which time I realized that I had looked at the wrong en route chart, and that we had most likely inadvertently passed through R2901A, which extends from the ground to 14000 ft. We never received any calls from ARTCC indicating we were about to enter a restr area or that we did in fact actually enter R2901A. We did not encounter any other aircraft during the last portion of the VMC flight. I have flown frequently in the vero beach, central florida area over the past 6 yrs, all on IFR flight plans. I believe I was complacent, think I knew the general area and its hazards, better than I actually did. I initially thought our IFR clearance would come quickly and when it didn't, I momentarily considered turning back to the departure airport. This inaction, of not turning back, was a mistake that contributed to the incursion. If I had referred initially to the appropriate low altitude IFR en route chart, I would have clearly seen just how close the sua was in relation to the departure airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A GULFSTREAM II, G2, INADVERTENTLY ENTERED RESTR AIRSPACE DURING A VFR DEP CLB WHILE WAITING FOR AN IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: SIT OCCURRED ON A RETURN FLT TO HOME STATION. I HAD FILED BOTH IFR FLT PLANS EARLIER IN THE DAY. AFTER THE PAX DROP-OFF AT VRB, WE WERE RETURNING TO STL. VRB TWR CLOSED AS WE PREPARED TO DEPART. WE DECIDED TO TAKE OFF VFR, CODE 1200, AND PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC WHEN WE WERE AIRBORNE AND IN CONTACT WITH ZMA. SOON AFTER TKOF I MADE AN INITIAL CALL TO CTR. CTR WAS BUSY AND I WAS TOLD TO 'STAND BY.' WE FLEW WESTERLY AND CLBED TO 4500 FT MSL. LATER, AFTER A SECOND CALL TO CTR AND A SECOND 'STAND BY,' I ASKED HOW LONG A DELAY IT WOULD BE TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC TO STL. CTR REPLIED, HE DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS WAITING FOR AN IFR CLRNC, GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE AND HAD ME CHANGE TO ANOTHER SECTOR CTLR WHO GAVE ME THE IFR CLRNC TO CLB AND PROCEED TO LAKELAND (LAL) AND AS FILED. WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR CLRNC WE HAD CLBED TO 6500 FT MSL, WERE CONCERNED FOR OTHER ACFT, THE ORL CLASS B AIRSPACE, THE MOA'S AND OTHER CENTRAL FLORIDA SPECIAL AIRSPACE. WE WERE ISSUED OUR IFR CLRNC OVER AVON PARK ARPT, AT WHICH TIME I REALIZED THAT I HAD LOOKED AT THE WRONG ENRTE CHART, AND THAT WE HAD MOST LIKELY INADVERTENTLY PASSED THROUGH R2901A, WHICH EXTENDS FROM THE GND TO 14000 FT. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY CALLS FROM ARTCC INDICATING WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A RESTR AREA OR THAT WE DID IN FACT ACTUALLY ENTER R2901A. WE DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY OTHER ACFT DURING THE LAST PORTION OF THE VMC FLT. I HAVE FLOWN FREQUENTLY IN THE VERO BEACH, CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA OVER THE PAST 6 YRS, ALL ON IFR FLT PLANS. I BELIEVE I WAS COMPLACENT, THINK I KNEW THE GENERAL AREA AND ITS HAZARDS, BETTER THAN I ACTUALLY DID. I INITIALLY THOUGHT OUR IFR CLRNC WOULD COME QUICKLY AND WHEN IT DIDN'T, I MOMENTARILY CONSIDERED TURNING BACK TO THE DEP ARPT. THIS INACTION, OF NOT TURNING BACK, WAS A MISTAKE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCURSION. IF I HAD REFERRED INITIALLY TO THE APPROPRIATE LOW ALT IFR ENRTE CHART, I WOULD HAVE CLRLY SEEN JUST HOW CLOSE THE SUA WAS IN RELATION TO THE DEP ARPT.

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.