Narrative:

During emergency power line patrol, for a local power company related to the declared 'state of emergency' for the status of wv, md, dc, I received a preflight briefing by elkins FSS, and was notified of the extended P-40 area, which was noted. I then filed a VFR flight plan to operate within dulles class B airspace. It was not emphasized that the dca class B airspace throughout was considered to be ADIZ from the surface to FL180. Upon my departure from fdk, I attempted to open my flight plan with elkins FSS (via telephone) prior to departure. Elkins stated that they were unable to open the flight plan for me, and I needed to contact potomac approach on the assigned frequency. I departed fdk to the northeast in high fixed wing traffic (many aircraft were returning to base after being repositioned for the storm). I climbed to 500 ft AGL and attempted to contact potomac approach, however, was not successful. At that time, I elected to continue the patrols at 150 ft AGL. According to our route of flight, and by conducting a missed approach reconnaissance, it was discussed among the other crew members that our route of flight would not enter the class B airspace. After completing the patrols, we returned to fdk and were informed that we had violated the 'extended' ADIZ. The current charts do not depict this extension, nor does the ATC facility have the ability to monitor radio traffic at the lower altitudes. If the radar facility has the ability to monitor to the surface, they should additionally have the ability to establish radio contact in order to avoid conflicts with higher altitude aircraft. I feel that in order to facilitate low traffic, there needs to be a means of communication. I additionally feel that a call in the 'blind' on 121.5/243.0 to alert aircraft in the vicinity of a possible incursion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER RETURN FROM A CONTRACTED PWR LINE ANALYSIS AT FDK, B06 PLT IS INFORMED OF DC ADIZ VIOLATION.

Narrative: DURING EMER PWR LINE PATROL, FOR A LCL PWR COMPANY RELATED TO THE DECLARED 'STATE OF EMER' FOR THE STATUS OF WV, MD, DC, I RECEIVED A PREFLT BRIEFING BY ELKINS FSS, AND WAS NOTIFIED OF THE EXTENDED P-40 AREA, WHICH WAS NOTED. I THEN FILED A VFR FLT PLAN TO OPERATE WITHIN DULLES CLASS B AIRSPACE. IT WAS NOT EMPHASIZED THAT THE DCA CLASS B AIRSPACE THROUGHOUT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE ADIZ FROM THE SURFACE TO FL180. UPON MY DEP FROM FDK, I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN WITH ELKINS FSS (VIA TELEPHONE) PRIOR TO DEP. ELKINS STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE FLT PLAN FOR ME, AND I NEEDED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. I DEPARTED FDK TO THE NE IN HIGH FIXED WING TFC (MANY ACFT WERE RETURNING TO BASE AFTER BEING REPOSITIONED FOR THE STORM). I CLBED TO 500 FT AGL AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH, HOWEVER, WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. AT THAT TIME, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE PATROLS AT 150 FT AGL. ACCORDING TO OUR RTE OF FLT, AND BY CONDUCTING A MISSED APCH RECONNAISSANCE, IT WAS DISCUSSED AMONG THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS THAT OUR RTE OF FLT WOULD NOT ENTER THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. AFTER COMPLETING THE PATROLS, WE RETURNED TO FDK AND WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD VIOLATED THE 'EXTENDED' ADIZ. THE CURRENT CHARTS DO NOT DEPICT THIS EXTENSION, NOR DOES THE ATC FACILITY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MONITOR RADIO TFC AT THE LOWER ALTS. IF THE RADAR FACILITY HAS THE ABILITY TO MONITOR TO THE SURFACE, THEY SHOULD ADDITIONALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFLICTS WITH HIGHER ALT ACFT. I FEEL THAT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE LOW TFC, THERE NEEDS TO BE A MEANS OF COM. I ADDITIONALLY FEEL THAT A CALL IN THE 'BLIND' ON 121.5/243.0 TO ALERT ACFT IN THE VICINITY OF A POSSIBLE INCURSION.

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.