Beech B23 private pilot inadvertently crossed through restr airspace during a cross country flight r...

Attributes
ACN	525213
Time
Date	200109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : edw.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sundowner 23
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	military facility : edw.milfac
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 445 flight time type : 435
ASRS Report	525213
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from porterville airport to borrego valley airport, I mistakenly entered/passed through restr area 2515 believing I was clear of airspace on the right side of edwards. Some contributing factors were fatigue, sun glare of morning sun and lack of vigilance on my part to be in contact with ZLA, flight following. My first time flying in this vicinity also did not help me to determine exact position. A hurried departure and lack of preflight planning was also negligence on my part. While groggily flying along, we (my wife and I) were suddenly and heart-stoppingly joined by a red and white F16, about 500 ft (it seemed like 5 ft) above our right wingtip. He took a long hard look at us, circled around in front and shot back towards edwards. I just said, 'oh lord!' I am terribly sorry this incident occurred. Especially now in the heightened state of national security. In the future, I will be much more prepared to avoid this type of mistake. I will be well rested, so extensive preflight planning, contact control and be more vigilant of rtes avoiding restr airspace. I actually made a return trip north, doing all of the above without violating restr area 2515. I am so sorry this happened, and will make every effort to see it does not happen in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH B23 PVT PLT INADVERTENTLY CROSSED THROUGH RESTR AIRSPACE DURING A XCOUNTRY FLT RESULTING IN A MIL F16 INTERCEPT AND LOOK OVER PRIOR TO EXITING THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM PORTERVILLE ARPT TO BORREGO VALLEY ARPT, I MISTAKENLY ENTERED/PASSED THROUGH RESTR AREA 2515 BELIEVING I WAS CLR OF AIRSPACE ON THE R SIDE OF EDWARDS. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE FATIGUE, SUN GLARE OF MORNING SUN AND LACK OF VIGILANCE ON MY PART TO BE IN CONTACT WITH ZLA, FLT FOLLOWING. MY FIRST TIME FLYING IN THIS VICINITY ALSO DID NOT HELP ME TO DETERMINE EXACT POS. A HURRIED DEP AND LACK OF PREFLT PLANNING WAS ALSO NEGLIGENCE ON MY PART. WHILE GROGGILY FLYING ALONG, WE (MY WIFE AND I) WERE SUDDENLY AND HEART-STOPPINGLY JOINED BY A RED AND WHITE F16, ABOUT 500 FT (IT SEEMED LIKE 5 FT) ABOVE OUR R WINGTIP. HE TOOK A LONG HARD LOOK AT US, CIRCLED AROUND IN FRONT AND SHOT BACK TOWARDS EDWARDS. I JUST SAID, 'OH LORD!' I AM TERRIBLY SORRY THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. ESPECIALLY NOW IN THE HEIGHTENED STATE OF NATIONAL SECURITY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MUCH MORE PREPARED TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF MISTAKE. I WILL BE WELL RESTED, SO EXTENSIVE PREFLT PLANNING, CONTACT CTL AND BE MORE VIGILANT OF RTES AVOIDING RESTR AIRSPACE. I ACTUALLY MADE A RETURN TRIP N, DOING ALL OF THE ABOVE WITHOUT VIOLATING RESTR AREA 2515. I AM SO SORRY THIS HAPPENED, AND WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SEE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

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.

Beech B23 private pilot inadvertently crossed through restr airspace during a cross country flight resulting in a military F16 intercept and look over prior to exiting the airspace.