Narrative:

During an IFR flight for engine (test/maintenance) out of mtn, I was approaching hedge inxtn and center advised me 'after hedge, go direct salisbury, then direct snow hill (VOR).' as I departed hedge intersection, I inadvertently entered 'direct swl' instead of 'direct sby.' a short while later, center inquired if I was direct salisbury and I advised that I was direct snow hill (swl). The controller requested (very politely) that I go 'direct salisbury (sby)' to exit the active restr area. I immediately executed a left turn and exited the restr area, and as I did, I switched the GPS to the map-mode and noticed that I was, in fact, skirting inside R-4006. Moments later, I was clear and nothing else was said from center. Several things caused this error, of which I am to blame: 1) I was recording many engine parameter readings and writing a lot when center gave me the clearance to sby after hedge, and I comprehended 'swl' instead of 'sby' when entering the new waypoint, I was distracted enough. 2) snow hill is almost in line with salisbury, so as I flew further along, there was no abrupt heading change, to alert ATC (or me) that I was 'direct' to the wrong VOR until I actually strayed into the corner of it (the R-4006). 3) a quick review of my en route chart after receiving 'direct salisbury' would have kept me clear, and probably would have alerted me to the wrong waypoint/pending incursion, enough to inquire about the (wrongly perceived) clearance. 4) monitoring the 'moving map' page of the GPS would also help, since most restr/prohibited areas are shown.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT ENTERED AN INCORRECT WAYPOINT IN THE ACFT GPS NAV COMPUTER AND ENTERED A RESTR AREA AS A CONSEQUENCE.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR FLT FOR ENG (TEST/MAINT) OUT OF MTN, I WAS APCHING HEDGE INXTN AND CTR ADVISED ME 'AFTER HEDGE, GO DIRECT SALISBURY, THEN DIRECT SNOW HILL (VOR).' AS I DEPARTED HEDGE INTXN, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED 'DIRECT SWL' INSTEAD OF 'DIRECT SBY.' A SHORT WHILE LATER, CTR INQUIRED IF I WAS DIRECT SALISBURY AND I ADVISED THAT I WAS DIRECT SNOW HILL (SWL). THE CTLR REQUESTED (VERY POLITELY) THAT I GO 'DIRECT SALISBURY (SBY)' TO EXIT THE ACTIVE RESTR AREA. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A L TURN AND EXITED THE RESTR AREA, AND AS I DID, I SWITCHED THE GPS TO THE MAP-MODE AND NOTICED THAT I WAS, IN FACT, SKIRTING INSIDE R-4006. MOMENTS LATER, I WAS CLR AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID FROM CTR. SEVERAL THINGS CAUSED THIS ERROR, OF WHICH I AM TO BLAME: 1) I WAS RECORDING MANY ENG PARAMETER READINGS AND WRITING A LOT WHEN CTR GAVE ME THE CLRNC TO SBY AFTER HEDGE, AND I COMPREHENDED 'SWL' INSTEAD OF 'SBY' WHEN ENTERING THE NEW WAYPOINT, I WAS DISTRACTED ENOUGH. 2) SNOW HILL IS ALMOST IN LINE WITH SALISBURY, SO AS I FLEW FURTHER ALONG, THERE WAS NO ABRUPT HEADING CHANGE, TO ALERT ATC (OR ME) THAT I WAS 'DIRECT' TO THE WRONG VOR UNTIL I ACTUALLY STRAYED INTO THE CORNER OF IT (THE R-4006). 3) A QUICK REVIEW OF MY ENRTE CHART AFTER RECEIVING 'DIRECT SALISBURY' WOULD HAVE KEPT ME CLR, AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE WRONG WAYPOINT/PENDING INCURSION, ENOUGH TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE (WRONGLY PERCEIVED) CLRNC. 4) MONITORING THE 'MOVING MAP' PAGE OF THE GPS WOULD ALSO HELP, SINCE MOST RESTR/PROHIBITED AREAS ARE SHOWN.

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.