A BE55 ATP pilot discovers that he has gotten an escort of F16 fighters during a heating problem and...

Attributes
ACN	540267
Time
Date	200202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc.artcc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	General Dynamics or Convair, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1870 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	540267
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed dxr VFR direct to int. En route, I picked up ZNY and got clearance into new york class B airspace. I was given 3500 ft for an altitude and proceeded on course. After 20 mins passed, I was switched to phl approach where they gave me 7500 ft to clear their air traffic. Given that I was on a 240 degree heading, I found this to be wrong, so I asked center for a correction. I was declined and told to maintain 7500 ft. I complied after about 15 mins with an outside temperature being -17 degrees. My heater failed and started producing emissions into the cabin. I requested a lower altitude and explained my problem. I was given 5500 ft for a final altitude and a heading of 260 degrees. I continued for about 15 mins more, troubleshooting the heater issue, only to find that the electrical system was experiencing dimming and that the radios were not transmitting or receiving properly. I had a squawk code and I was trying to reach phl approach, to no avail. Then, as I looked up to my right wing, I saw next to me 3 F16 fighters trying to get my attention. So I lowered my gear and turned on my landing lights. I went to 121.5 to try to communicate. I received them fine, but they had trouble hearing my xmissions. Another aircraft I believe helped as a go between with me and ZDC and the military jets. I was told to follow them out of the airspace. I was thinking that I was still under advisories and was not told to avoid or navigation around. I did what I was instructed. They left! ZDC asked if I wanted to declare an emergency. I declined, thinking that I would be able to continue, but I was mistaken. I did end up diverting to lynchburg where I was told to call ZDC. They proceeded to express their anger with me. I tried to explain to center the situation, and was told that action would be taken for the fact that I didn't declare an emergency. I thought that I was the PIC and it was to be me alone to decide this. I figured that I was not and that I caused enough trouble. But looking back at the chain of events, I should have declared an emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE55 ATP PLT DISCOVERS THAT HE HAS GOTTEN AN ESCORT OF F16 FIGHTERS DURING A HEATING PROB AND PARTIAL LOSS OF COM ON A VFR FLT TO INT, NC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED DXR VFR DIRECT TO INT. ENRTE, I PICKED UP ZNY AND GOT CLRNC INTO NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS GIVEN 3500 FT FOR AN ALT AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. AFTER 20 MINS PASSED, I WAS SWITCHED TO PHL APCH WHERE THEY GAVE ME 7500 FT TO CLR THEIR AIR TFC. GIVEN THAT I WAS ON A 240 DEG HDG, I FOUND THIS TO BE WRONG, SO I ASKED CTR FOR A CORRECTION. I WAS DECLINED AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 7500 FT. I COMPLIED AFTER ABOUT 15 MINS WITH AN OUTSIDE TEMP BEING -17 DEGS. MY HEATER FAILED AND STARTED PRODUCING EMISSIONS INTO THE CABIN. I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND EXPLAINED MY PROB. I WAS GIVEN 5500 FT FOR A FINAL ALT AND A HDG OF 260 DEGS. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 15 MINS MORE, TROUBLESHOOTING THE HEATER ISSUE, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYS WAS EXPERIENCING DIMMING AND THAT THE RADIOS WERE NOT XMITTING OR RECEIVING PROPERLY. I HAD A SQUAWK CODE AND I WAS TRYING TO REACH PHL APCH, TO NO AVAIL. THEN, AS I LOOKED UP TO MY R WING, I SAW NEXT TO ME 3 F16 FIGHTERS TRYING TO GET MY ATTN. SO I LOWERED MY GEAR AND TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHTS. I WENT TO 121.5 TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE. I RECEIVED THEM FINE, BUT THEY HAD TROUBLE HEARING MY XMISSIONS. ANOTHER ACFT I BELIEVE HELPED AS A GO BTWN WITH ME AND ZDC AND THE MIL JETS. I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW THEM OUT OF THE AIRSPACE. I WAS THINKING THAT I WAS STILL UNDER ADVISORIES AND WAS NOT TOLD TO AVOID OR NAV AROUND. I DID WHAT I WAS INSTRUCTED. THEY LEFT! ZDC ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I DECLINED, THINKING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, BUT I WAS MISTAKEN. I DID END UP DIVERTING TO LYNCHBURG WHERE I WAS TOLD TO CALL ZDC. THEY PROCEEDED TO EXPRESS THEIR ANGER WITH ME. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO CTR THE SIT, AND WAS TOLD THAT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN FOR THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T DECLARE AN EMER. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS THE PIC AND IT WAS TO BE ME ALONE TO DECIDE THIS. I FIGURED THAT I WAS NOT AND THAT I CAUSED ENOUGH TROUBLE. BUT LOOKING BACK AT THE CHAIN OF EVENTS, I SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER.

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.

A BE55 ATP pilot discovers that he has gotten an escort of F16 fighters during a heating problem and partial loss of communication on a VFR flight to int, nc.