Flight of 2 GA aircraft enter class D airspace.

Attributes
ACN	555107
Time
Date	200207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-7
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	555107
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 1700
ASRS Report	554918
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jul/wed/02, around XA00, we departed as a flight of 2. The lead plane, an apache/geronimo, and I were monitoring tower but transmitting on the common frequency we were using for our formation flight. ATC told us we were clear of the airspace and radio frequency change was approved. I was concentrating on my altitude and speed as I was flying off the right wing of lead. It seemed like mins after ATC had given lead aircraft approval to change frequency, that he contacted me on the common frequency we were using and asked me to climb (I was at 2200 ft) and to turn west. Airport was to my 3 O'clock position. We turned away from the airport. Apparently the lead aircraft's GPS was malfunctioning and he didn't realize our close proximity to the airport. I've been an FAA safety counselor for the last few yrs and could not believe this happened. The pilot of the lead aircraft and I have talked extensively about this and hope we did not interfere with operations. The problem could have been avoided had we been on a flight following service from ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT OF 2 GA ACFT ENTER CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON JUL/WED/02, AROUND XA00, WE DEPARTED AS A FLT OF 2. THE LEAD PLANE, AN APACHE/GERONIMO, AND I WERE MONITORING TWR BUT XMITTING ON THE COMMON FREQ WE WERE USING FOR OUR FORMATION FLT. ATC TOLD US WE WERE CLR OF THE AIRSPACE AND RADIO FREQ CHANGE WAS APPROVED. I WAS CONCENTRATING ON MY ALT AND SPD AS I WAS FLYING OFF THE R WING OF LEAD. IT SEEMED LIKE MINS AFTER ATC HAD GIVEN LEAD ACFT APPROVAL TO CHANGE FREQ, THAT HE CONTACTED ME ON THE COMMON FREQ WE WERE USING AND ASKED ME TO CLB (I WAS AT 2200 FT) AND TO TURN W. ARPT WAS TO MY 3 O'CLOCK POS. WE TURNED AWAY FROM THE ARPT. APPARENTLY THE LEAD ACFT'S GPS WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND HE DIDN'T REALIZE OUR CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT. I'VE BEEN AN FAA SAFETY COUNSELOR FOR THE LAST FEW YRS AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED. THE PLT OF THE LEAD ACFT AND I HAVE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THIS AND HOPE WE DID NOT INTERFERE WITH OPS. THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE BEEN ON A FLT FOLLOWING SVC FROM ATC.

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.