Narrative:

During a flight in a DH6 into phillips army airfield (apg), to drop military parachutists we flew through an active range in R-4001A. We were VFR approaching from the southeast. We were receiving radar service from baltimore approach and our route was from kerno intersection direct to apg. Apg is inside R-4001A. Approaching the restr area I asked baltimore if we were cleared to the restr area, or should I be talking to apg tower? I was told I was not cleared in R-4001A and to call apg tower. We turned and orbited outside to the east, and called apg reported 8 mi east landing. We were told to report a right base for runway 8. I read back 'right base, and say runway again.' 'runway 8.' I read back again 'right base for runway 8.' since apg is inside R-4001A, in the northwest corner, and since I was cleared into R-4001A to land I assumed I was cleared into the restr area. We proceeded west into the restr area and reported a right base for runway 8 after flying through the firing ranges to the east of the airport, while descending from 3500 ft to 1500 ft MSL. The tower then told us that, he told us to report a left downwind to runway 8. (Both pilots in my airplane heard different and read back different.) we were told to go to operations and talked with the range mgrs. This is a bad situation. Only one connection and everyone that flies into this range regularly knows this. However, R-4001A is not divided into separate blocks so how can you be cleared into half of this area and not the other half?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A MIL CHARTERED DEHAVILLAND, DH6, DROPPING OFF MIL PARACHUTISTS AT A MIL AIRFIELD, ENTERED THE SURROUNDING RESTR AREA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING A FLT IN A DH6 INTO PHILLIPS ARMY AIRFIELD (APG), TO DROP MIL PARACHUTISTS WE FLEW THROUGH AN ACTIVE RANGE IN R-4001A. WE WERE VFR APCHING FROM THE SE. WE WERE RECEIVING RADAR SVC FROM BALTIMORE APCH AND OUR RTE WAS FROM KERNO INTXN DIRECT TO APG. APG IS INSIDE R-4001A. APCHING THE RESTR AREA I ASKED BALTIMORE IF WE WERE CLRED TO THE RESTR AREA, OR SHOULD I BE TALKING TO APG TWR? I WAS TOLD I WAS NOT CLRED IN R-4001A AND TO CALL APG TWR. WE TURNED AND ORBITED OUTSIDE TO THE E, AND CALLED APG RPTED 8 MI E LNDG. WE WERE TOLD TO RPT A R BASE FOR RWY 8. I READ BACK 'R BASE, AND SAY RWY AGAIN.' 'RWY 8.' I READ BACK AGAIN 'R BASE FOR RWY 8.' SINCE APG IS INSIDE R-4001A, IN THE NW CORNER, AND SINCE I WAS CLRED INTO R-4001A TO LAND I ASSUMED I WAS CLRED INTO THE RESTR AREA. WE PROCEEDED W INTO THE RESTR AREA AND RPTED A R BASE FOR RWY 8 AFTER FLYING THROUGH THE FIRING RANGES TO THE E OF THE ARPT, WHILE DSNDING FROM 3500 FT TO 1500 FT MSL. THE TWR THEN TOLD US THAT, HE TOLD US TO RPT A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 8. (BOTH PLTS IN MY AIRPLANE HEARD DIFFERENT AND READ BACK DIFFERENT.) WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO OPS AND TALKED WITH THE RANGE MGRS. THIS IS A BAD SIT. ONLY ONE CONNECTION AND EVERYONE THAT FLIES INTO THIS RANGE REGULARLY KNOWS THIS. HOWEVER, R-4001A IS NOT DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE BLOCKS SO HOW CAN YOU BE CLRED INTO HALF OF THIS AREA AND NOT THE OTHER HALF?

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.