An alleged incursion into prohibited area P40.

Attributes
ACN	537649
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : p40.prohibited
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz1.artcc artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 14100 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	537649
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After landing, following a VFR cross country ferry flight, I was advised to call the ZZZ center. Center advised that I had been tracked from ZZZ1 area, because they believed that I had made an unauthorized penetration of P40. I advised both ZZZ and ZZZ1 center's personnel that I had been aware of P40 and had in fact, flown west of the P40 airspace by 4-5 miles. At the time, primary navigation was being supplied by a GPS utilizing current database. Additionally visual reference to ground landmarks, placed the flight plan over the eastern portion of the city of ZZZ2 and about 2-3 NM from the ZZZ2 airport. The aircraft was being flown by the autoplt at the time of the incident, utilizing the heading mode. The GPS receiver at the time was into 'map' mode and heading was adjusting to insure passage to the west of P40. I strongly believe that I did not penetrate P40, based on my navigation at the time of the incident. A possible cause of this incident could in fact be due to inaccuracy in the GPS database, or its presentation on the display. Additionally, due to the increased security being afforded to special use airspace and prohibited airspace in particular, pilots should be encouraged to give these airspaces an extremely wide berth or better yet, use ATC flight following or file IFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ALLEGED INCURSION INTO PROHIBITED AREA P40.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG, FOLLOWING A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FERRY FLT, I WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE ZZZ CTR. CTR ADVISED THAT I HAD BEEN TRACKED FROM ZZZ1 AREA, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT I HAD MADE AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF P40. I ADVISED BOTH ZZZ AND ZZZ1 CTR'S PERSONNEL THAT I HAD BEEN AWARE OF P40 AND HAD IN FACT, FLOWN W OF THE P40 AIRSPACE BY 4-5 MILES. AT THE TIME, PRIMARY NAVIGATION WAS BEING SUPPLIED BY A GPS UTILIZING CURRENT DATABASE. ADDITIONALLY VISUAL REFERENCE TO GROUND LANDMARKS, PLACED THE FLT PLAN OVER THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE CITY OF ZZZ2 AND ABOUT 2-3 NM FROM THE ZZZ2 ARPT. THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE AUTOPLT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, UTILIZING THE HEADING MODE. THE GPS RECEIVER AT THE TIME WAS INTO 'MAP' MODE AND HEADING WAS ADJUSTING TO INSURE PASSAGE TO THE W OF P40. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT I DID NOT PENETRATE P40, BASED ON MY NAVIGATION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT COULD IN FACT BE DUE TO INACCURACY IN THE GPS DATABASE, OR ITS PRESENTATION ON THE DISPLAY. ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE INCREASED SECURITY BEING AFFORDED TO SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE AND PROHIBITED AIRSPACE IN PARTICULAR, PLTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO GIVE THESE AIRSPACES AN EXTREMELY WIDE BERTH OR BETTER YET, USE ATC FLT FOLLOWING OR FILE IFR.

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.