A commercial rated pilot flying a light twin engine aircraft believes he might have entered prohibited and class B airspace at dca without proper authority/authorized.

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Attributes
ACN	448999
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : p56.prohibited
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9750 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1075 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	448999
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching the ZDC class B airspace in our climb over the class B airspace, we may have penetrated the class B at 9750 ft MSL by less than 1 mi. Also as we proceeded swbound we may have penetrated prohibited area P56B. Both of these occurrences were due to not having our navigation system in the proper mode. I just installed a new GPS navigation system to replace the 20 yr old navigation system. I had the system in the cursor mode which gives distance to the cursor and not to the class B and area P56. However, according to the navigation system, it appeared that we just missed these areas, but since I was in the improper mode I was not really sure. Since installing this equipment most of the training has been concentrated on IFR use. This was a beautiful day with unlimited visibility and no ceiling. With little experience using this new equipment VFR it opened the door for errors. I am reading the manuals and reviewing the many functions of this new system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL RATED PLT FLYING A LIGHT TWIN ENG ACFT BELIEVES HE MIGHT HAVE ENTERED PROHIBITED AND CLASS B AIRSPACE AT DCA WITHOUT PROPER AUTH.

Narrative: APCHING THE ZDC CLASS B AIRSPACE IN OUR CLB OVER THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, WE MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE CLASS B AT 9750 FT MSL BY LESS THAN 1 MI. ALSO AS WE PROCEEDED SWBOUND WE MAY HAVE PENETRATED PROHIBITED AREA P56B. BOTH OF THESE OCCURRENCES WERE DUE TO NOT HAVING OUR NAV SYS IN THE PROPER MODE. I JUST INSTALLED A NEW GPS NAV SYS TO REPLACE THE 20 YR OLD NAV SYS. I HAD THE SYS IN THE CURSOR MODE WHICH GIVES DISTANCE TO THE CURSOR AND NOT TO THE CLASS B AND AREA P56. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE NAV SYS, IT APPEARED THAT WE JUST MISSED THESE AREAS, BUT SINCE I WAS IN THE IMPROPER MODE I WAS NOT REALLY SURE. SINCE INSTALLING THIS EQUIP MOST OF THE TRAINING HAS BEEN CONCENTRATED ON IFR USE. THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY AND NO CEILING. WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE USING THIS NEW EQUIP VFR IT OPENED THE DOOR FOR ERRORS. I AM READING THE MANUALS AND REVIEWING THE MANY FUNCTIONS OF THIS NEW SYS.

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.