Narrative:

We departed mtn in a PA44-180. WX proved to be a factor on my route and FSS suggested a southern departure through the dc area. A VFR flight plan was filed as well as an ADIZ flight plan to get to the brv VOR to end the ADIZ flight plan. This was my first time flying anywhere on the east coast. We were picking up the aircraft for delivery to bjc. I spent quite a while with the briefer. The ADIZ we filed ott VOR and brv VOR to end that flight plan. The VFR flight plan continued on to loz. FSS informed me that the ott VOR was out of service and the GPS navigation in that area was unreliable. We departed, and I requested to fly to the east side of the chesapeake bay, south to avoid class B, then to brv. I was approved by pct ATC. We continued south until ragged island airport 40 NM southeast on the dca 125 degree radial. I noticed multiple restr areas ahead and asked ATC for 'direct to brooke.' ATC responded with 'sorry I let you go so long,' then said approved direct brooke, squawk VFR and frequency change approved. I squawked VFR 1200, turned direct brooke and remained outside of the restr airspace charted. At brv, I thought the ADIZ flight plan portion was closed. Shortly past brv, a us customs service citation was off my left rear and I realized that I was being intercepted, but had no idea what I had done wrong. I wagged my wings, went to 121.5. He stated that I had violated the ADIZ and would be escorted either back to a dc area airport or continue on my flight. After considerable time being escorted southwest, they said that they were 'satisfied with my flight' and I could go on my way. Once arriving at loz, I was informed to call the 'command center.' they advised me of what I had done and said to contact pct TRACON. Pct said they had filed the report and that my flight path and tapes were pulled. They said that my local FSDO would be contacting me. I stated that I was told to squawk VFR and direct brooke. TRACON was surprised and said if that was the case, it would need to be reviewed, but my report had already been sent. It appears the problem occurred when I was told to squawk VFR and direct brv. That put me back into an ADIZ without a discrete code. I assumed that when I was cleared direct brv, I was in accordance with their airspace requirements since ATC gave that to me. I remained on frequency and heard nothing from them. Had I known the exact ADIZ boundaries, I would have flown the flight just as I did because I was trying to comply specifically with what I heard ATC tell me. Upon reviewing and plotting the specific ADIZ I saw exactly where we re-entered the ADIZ. However, being approved direct to brooke gave me no option but to fly through the ADIZ. The other pilot in the airplane also confirmed the ATC instructions with me. Pct TRACON said that even if I was told to squawk VFR, as PIC, I was responsible ultimately to remain outside of an ADIZ without a discrete code, but it seems contrary to not comply with ATC. I may have been intimidated by the restrs and relied too heavily on ATC to help me navigate through the area. I assumed that they approved what was correct for their airspace and I wanted to do exactly what I was told to do. Had I remained on the discrete code, I would have been fine. I may have also waited for better weather to depart the bwi area to the northwest with much fewer restr areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 PLT WAS INTERCEPTED IN DC ADIZ AFTER THE PCT CTLR INSISTED HE SQUAWK VFR WHILE STILL IN DC ADIZ AIRSPACE. HE WAS INTERCEPTED BY A US CUSTOMS BUSINESS JET AS A RESULT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED MTN IN A PA44-180. WX PROVED TO BE A FACTOR ON MY RTE AND FSS SUGGESTED A SOUTHERN DEP THROUGH THE DC AREA. A VFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED AS WELL AS AN ADIZ FLT PLAN TO GET TO THE BRV VOR TO END THE ADIZ FLT PLAN. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME FLYING ANYWHERE ON THE EAST COAST. WE WERE PICKING UP THE ACFT FOR DELIVERY TO BJC. I SPENT QUITE A WHILE WITH THE BRIEFER. THE ADIZ WE FILED OTT VOR AND BRV VOR TO END THAT FLT PLAN. THE VFR FLT PLAN CONTINUED ON TO LOZ. FSS INFORMED ME THAT THE OTT VOR WAS OUT OF SERVICE AND THE GPS NAVIGATION IN THAT AREA WAS UNRELIABLE. WE DEPARTED, AND I REQUESTED TO FLY TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, S TO AVOID CLASS B, THEN TO BRV. I WAS APPROVED BY PCT ATC. WE CONTINUED S UNTIL RAGGED ISLAND ARPT 40 NM SE ON THE DCA 125 DEG RADIAL. I NOTICED MULTIPLE RESTR AREAS AHEAD AND ASKED ATC FOR 'DIRECT TO BROOKE.' ATC RESPONDED WITH 'SORRY I LET YOU GO SO LONG,' THEN SAID APPROVED DIRECT BROOKE, SQUAWK VFR AND FREQUENCY CHANGE APPROVED. I SQUAWKED VFR 1200, TURNED DIRECT BROOKE AND REMAINED OUTSIDE OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE CHARTED. AT BRV, I THOUGHT THE ADIZ FLT PLAN PORTION WAS CLOSED. SHORTLY PAST BRV, A US CUSTOMS SERVICE CITATION WAS OFF MY LEFT REAR AND I REALIZED THAT I WAS BEING INTERCEPTED, BUT HAD NO IDEA WHAT I HAD DONE WRONG. I WAGGED MY WINGS, WENT TO 121.5. HE STATED THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE ADIZ AND WOULD BE ESCORTED EITHER BACK TO A DC AREA ARPT OR CONTINUE ON MY FLT. AFTER CONSIDERABLE TIME BEING ESCORTED SW, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE 'SATISFIED WITH MY FLT' AND I COULD GO ON MY WAY. ONCE ARRIVING AT LOZ, I WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE 'COMMAND CTR.' THEY ADVISED ME OF WHAT I HAD DONE AND SAID TO CONTACT PCT TRACON. PCT SAID THEY HAD FILED THE RPT AND THAT MY FLT PATH AND TAPES WERE PULLED. THEY SAID THAT MY LCL FSDO WOULD BE CONTACTING ME. I STATED THAT I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK VFR AND DIRECT BROOKE. TRACON WAS SURPRISED AND SAID IF THAT WAS THE CASE, IT WOULD NEED TO BE REVIEWED, BUT MY RPT HAD ALREADY BEEN SENT. IT APPEARS THE PROB OCCURRED WHEN I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK VFR AND DIRECT BRV. THAT PUT ME BACK INTO AN ADIZ WITHOUT A DISCRETE CODE. I ASSUMED THAT WHEN I WAS CLRED DIRECT BRV, I WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AIRSPACE REQUIREMENTS SINCE ATC GAVE THAT TO ME. I REMAINED ON FREQUENCY AND HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM. HAD I KNOWN THE EXACT ADIZ BOUNDARIES, I WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE FLT JUST AS I DID BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO COMPLY SPECIFICALLY WITH WHAT I HEARD ATC TELL ME. UPON REVIEWING AND PLOTTING THE SPECIFIC ADIZ I SAW EXACTLY WHERE WE RE-ENTERED THE ADIZ. HOWEVER, BEING APPROVED DIRECT TO BROOKE GAVE ME NO OPTION BUT TO FLY THROUGH THE ADIZ. THE OTHER PLT IN THE AIRPLANE ALSO CONFIRMED THE ATC INSTRUCTIONS WITH ME. PCT TRACON SAID THAT EVEN IF I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK VFR, AS PIC, I WAS RESPONSIBLE ULTIMATELY TO REMAIN OUTSIDE OF AN ADIZ WITHOUT A DISCRETE CODE, BUT IT SEEMS CONTRARY TO NOT COMPLY WITH ATC. I MAY HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED BY THE RESTRS AND RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON ATC TO HELP ME NAVIGATE THROUGH THE AREA. I ASSUMED THAT THEY APPROVED WHAT WAS CORRECT FOR THEIR AIRSPACE AND I WANTED TO DO EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TOLD TO DO. HAD I REMAINED ON THE DISCRETE CODE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE. I MAY HAVE ALSO WAITED FOR BETTER WEATHER TO DEPART THE BWI AREA TO THE NW WITH MUCH FEWER RESTR AREAS.

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.