Narrative:

At XA30Z, I called leesburg FSS and the briefer and asked if it would be better to go west in order to get to better WX or go my normal route which is to fly to the westminster VOR and then direct buffalo. The briefer stated that going to the westminster VOR was the best route and the WX would clear shortly after the westminster VOR. I departed montgomery county airport (gai) at XB00Z. I activated my flight plan with leesburg FSS. I was about 6 NM from the westminster VOR and the WX did not look clear to the east. I tried to call harrisburg approach, but I did not get any response. I dialed up mifflin airport (rvl) on the LORAN and proceeded direct to mifflin airport. I did not go far when the WX started to close in to the north. The WX looked clear to the west and I turned west to go around some low clouds, making sure to stay VFR. After clearing the low clouds, I continued to fly direct to mifflin airport. I had to repeat this process to clear more clouds 1 or 2 more times before finding enough clear air to climb above the clouds. My concentration was on staying VFR and flying the aircraft and I did not check the chart or other navigation system. I believed the briefer that the clouds would clear the further north and west that I would go. After passing mifflin airport, I tried calling ZNY but I did not get any response. After passing slate run VOR, I tried calling ZOB and finally got flight following. They were very helpful and I proceeded to buffalo airport. Upon landing, the tower informed me to call ZDC. I had difficulty contacting ZDC because the phone number the tower gave me was disconnected. I called buffalo FSS to try to get the phone number, but they could not help me. Then I called the buffalo airport tower and they gave me a new phone number to call. I called ZDC and they told me, to my surprise, that I violated P40 airspace. I gave the person at ZDC all the information he wanted and he told me somebody would be contacting me. As of jul/tue/02, XA00, I have not received any phone call. It was certainly never my intention to violate restr airspace. I am a very conscientious private pilot and feel that there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to my error. The leesburg briefer assured me that the WX would clear north of the westminster VOR and my main focus was flying the aircraft safely and staying VFR. Additionally, when harrisburg failed to respond to my repeated calls, I proceeded with the available information from the leesburg briefer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT VIOLATED SUA IN THE FORM OF P40.

Narrative: AT XA30Z, I CALLED LEESBURG FSS AND THE BRIEFER AND ASKED IF IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GO W IN ORDER TO GET TO BETTER WX OR GO MY NORMAL RTE WHICH IS TO FLY TO THE WESTMINSTER VOR AND THEN DIRECT BUFFALO. THE BRIEFER STATED THAT GOING TO THE WESTMINSTER VOR WAS THE BEST RTE AND THE WX WOULD CLR SHORTLY AFTER THE WESTMINSTER VOR. I DEPARTED MONTGOMERY COUNTY ARPT (GAI) AT XB00Z. I ACTIVATED MY FLT PLAN WITH LEESBURG FSS. I WAS ABOUT 6 NM FROM THE WESTMINSTER VOR AND THE WX DID NOT LOOK CLR TO THE E. I TRIED TO CALL HARRISBURG APCH, BUT I DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSE. I DIALED UP MIFFLIN ARPT (RVL) ON THE LORAN AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO MIFFLIN ARPT. I DID NOT GO FAR WHEN THE WX STARTED TO CLOSE IN TO THE N. THE WX LOOKED CLR TO THE W AND I TURNED W TO GO AROUND SOME LOW CLOUDS, MAKING SURE TO STAY VFR. AFTER CLRING THE LOW CLOUDS, I CONTINUED TO FLY DIRECT TO MIFFLIN ARPT. I HAD TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS TO CLR MORE CLOUDS 1 OR 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE FINDING ENOUGH CLR AIR TO CLB ABOVE THE CLOUDS. MY CONCENTRATION WAS ON STAYING VFR AND FLYING THE ACFT AND I DID NOT CHK THE CHART OR OTHER NAV SYS. I BELIEVED THE BRIEFER THAT THE CLOUDS WOULD CLR THE FURTHER N AND W THAT I WOULD GO. AFTER PASSING MIFFLIN ARPT, I TRIED CALLING ZNY BUT I DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSE. AFTER PASSING SLATE RUN VOR, I TRIED CALLING ZOB AND FINALLY GOT FLT FOLLOWING. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL AND I PROCEEDED TO BUFFALO ARPT. UPON LNDG, THE TWR INFORMED ME TO CALL ZDC. I HAD DIFFICULTY CONTACTING ZDC BECAUSE THE PHONE NUMBER THE TWR GAVE ME WAS DISCONNECTED. I CALLED BUFFALO FSS TO TRY TO GET THE PHONE NUMBER, BUT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. THEN I CALLED THE BUFFALO ARPT TWR AND THEY GAVE ME A NEW PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. I CALLED ZDC AND THEY TOLD ME, TO MY SURPRISE, THAT I VIOLATED P40 AIRSPACE. I GAVE THE PERSON AT ZDC ALL THE INFO HE WANTED AND HE TOLD ME SOMEBODY WOULD BE CONTACTING ME. AS OF JUL/TUE/02, XA00, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALL. IT WAS CERTAINLY NEVER MY INTENTION TO VIOLATE RESTR AIRSPACE. I AM A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS PVT PLT AND FEEL THAT THERE WERE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY ERROR. THE LEESBURG BRIEFER ASSURED ME THAT THE WX WOULD CLR N OF THE WESTMINSTER VOR AND MY MAIN FOCUS WAS FLYING THE ACFT SAFELY AND STAYING VFR. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN HARRISBURG FAILED TO RESPOND TO MY REPEATED CALLS, I PROCEEDED WITH THE AVAILABLE INFO FROM THE LEESBURG BRIEFER.

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.