Narrative:

While on a flight from grand rapids hastings field (9d9) to baltimore (dmw), I strayed closer than the required 10 mi from camp david (P40). This occurred due to an inaccurate preflight briefing received from lansing FSS the same day. The briefing was quite extensive, lasting more than 20 mins and covering all the airspace restrs in the baltimore washington area. I specifically asked about the size of P40 and was told that it was 5 mi. I further questioned the briefer saying that I thought that it was larger than that. The briefer then put me on hold, said he went over and consulted some wall chart and assured me that it was only 5 mi. As it turned out some time that afternoon the prohibited airspace was changed from 5 to 10 mi. I was navigating from the VOR toward my destination and descending from 13500 ft. I was VFR and not talking to anyone, but monitoring 121.5. I was also using visual references and passed slightly north of the town of emmitsburg. Additionally, I used a non official handheld GPS as back-up navigation. I doglegged a little to remain clear of P40. I estimate that I passed about 8 or 9 mi northeast of the center of P40, well past what I thought was the required 5 mi. Upon arriving at dmw, I was informed that I had violated P40. I was held at the airport by the police pending the arrival of the secret service. Even though I gave where I was going, the police refused to let me leave. The secret service finally arrived. They interviewed me. They took my photo and had me sign releases. They inspected the plane and photographed it. Then they said I was not a threat. Don't you think that this is a little excessive? How much did that exercise cost the tax payer? I have been flying for 41 yrs now and have been an ATP since 1970. I have no ill intent toward anyone. Even if I did, how much damage could a C310 cause flying 8-9 mi away at 5000-7000 ft? Do we have to give up all our civil liberties to be safe?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH UNCOORD PENETRATION OF R4009 NEAR P40 PROHIBITED AREA BY THE PLT OF C310 ON A FLT DIRECT TO DMW, MD.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT FROM GRAND RAPIDS HASTINGS FIELD (9D9) TO BALTIMORE (DMW), I STRAYED CLOSER THAN THE REQUIRED 10 MI FROM CAMP DAVID (P40). THIS OCCURRED DUE TO AN INACCURATE PREFLT BRIEFING RECEIVED FROM LANSING FSS THE SAME DAY. THE BRIEFING WAS QUITE EXTENSIVE, LASTING MORE THAN 20 MINS AND COVERING ALL THE AIRSPACE RESTRS IN THE BALTIMORE WASHINGTON AREA. I SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT THE SIZE OF P40 AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS 5 MI. I FURTHER QUESTIONED THE BRIEFER SAYING THAT I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS LARGER THAN THAT. THE BRIEFER THEN PUT ME ON HOLD, SAID HE WENT OVER AND CONSULTED SOME WALL CHART AND ASSURED ME THAT IT WAS ONLY 5 MI. AS IT TURNED OUT SOME TIME THAT AFTERNOON THE PROHIBITED AIRSPACE WAS CHANGED FROM 5 TO 10 MI. I WAS NAVING FROM THE VOR TOWARD MY DEST AND DSNDING FROM 13500 FT. I WAS VFR AND NOT TALKING TO ANYONE, BUT MONITORING 121.5. I WAS ALSO USING VISUAL REFS AND PASSED SLIGHTLY N OF THE TOWN OF EMMITSBURG. ADDITIONALLY, I USED A NON OFFICIAL HANDHELD GPS AS BACK-UP NAV. I DOGLEGGED A LITTLE TO REMAIN CLR OF P40. I ESTIMATE THAT I PASSED ABOUT 8 OR 9 MI NE OF THE CTR OF P40, WELL PAST WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE REQUIRED 5 MI. UPON ARRIVING AT DMW, I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD VIOLATED P40. I WAS HELD AT THE ARPT BY THE POLICE PENDING THE ARR OF THE SECRET SVC. EVEN THOUGH I GAVE WHERE I WAS GOING, THE POLICE REFUSED TO LET ME LEAVE. THE SECRET SVC FINALLY ARRIVED. THEY INTERVIEWED ME. THEY TOOK MY PHOTO AND HAD ME SIGN RELEASES. THEY INSPECTED THE PLANE AND PHOTOGRAPHED IT. THEN THEY SAID I WAS NOT A THREAT. DON'T YOU THINK THAT THIS IS A LITTLE EXCESSIVE? HOW MUCH DID THAT EXERCISE COST THE TAX PAYER? I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 41 YRS NOW AND HAVE BEEN AN ATP SINCE 1970. I HAVE NO ILL INTENT TOWARD ANYONE. EVEN IF I DID, HOW MUCH DAMAGE COULD A C310 CAUSE FLYING 8-9 MI AWAY AT 5000-7000 FT? DO WE HAVE TO GIVE UP ALL OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES TO BE SAFE?

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.