Narrative:

I was on a cross country flight that took me along the southern portion of the washington dc ADIZ. I was flying from the east to the west along a line from just north of the patuxant river naval air station (nhk) direct to the brooke VOR (brv), which is approximately 55 NM to the west. I planned my route of flight so as to stay south of the outer ring of the washington class B airspace however, my flight path was inside the washington mode C veil. This flight path was also chosen so as to remain north of the dahlgren nwsg restr area (R-6611A). As a pilot based in leesburg, va, (jyo, 15 NM nnw of washington dulles airport) which underlies the washington class B airspace and inside the washington ADIZ, I am accustomed to exiting and entering the ADIZ boundary where it is aligned with the outer ring of the washington class B airspace, not the washington mode C veil. I used a current washington sectional chart (good through feb of 04) for planning the flight. Given that this chart does not indicate the ADIZ boundaries, and the fact that the ADIZ boundary to the west is aligned with the outer ring of the class B airspace, I assumed that the ADIZ boundary to the south is also aligned with the outer ring of the class B airspace. Therefore, I concluded that my flight path would be outside the washington ADIZ. This resulted in my inadvertent flight through the washington ADIZ without filing an ADIZ flight plan. Upon landing at culpepper airport (cjr, approximately 35 NM northwest of brooke), I was notified by the airport attendant that I needed to call the potomac TRACON. Upon calling potomac, I was informed that their data indicated that my route of flight was inside the washington ADIZ. I have since learned that the ADIZ does not follow the outer ring of the washington class B airspace in all instances. Obviously, the ADIZ is not included on the washington sectional, making it more difficult for pilots, FSS, and ATC personnel, to know the exact boundaries of the ADIZ. Most importantly, it makes it considerably more difficult for FSS personnel to clearly describe the boundaries to pilots during a verbal preflight telephone briefing. In fact, during my conversation with the potomac TRACON, I asked the gentleman on the phone what the southern boundary of the ADIZ was. He indicated that he wasn't sure and put me on hold in order to ask someone. At this point, it appears that there is little support within the government for removing the ADIZ requirements in the washington dc area. As such, I would strongly recommend that the ADIZ boundaries be clearly shown on the washington charts as is done for the prohibited area around the washington monument. This should help to avoid confusion among the flying community.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT WAS ACCUSED BY PCT OF VIOLATING THE DC ADIZ.

Narrative: I WAS ON A XCOUNTRY FLT THAT TOOK ME ALONG THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE WASHINGTON DC ADIZ. I WAS FLYING FROM THE E TO THE W ALONG A LINE FROM JUST N OF THE PATUXANT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION (NHK) DIRECT TO THE BROOKE VOR (BRV), WHICH IS APPROX 55 NM TO THE W. I PLANNED MY RTE OF FLT SO AS TO STAY S OF THE OUTER RING OF THE WASHINGTON CLASS B AIRSPACE HOWEVER, MY FLT PATH WAS INSIDE THE WASHINGTON MODE C VEIL. THIS FLT PATH WAS ALSO CHOSEN SO AS TO REMAIN N OF THE DAHLGREN NWSG RESTR AREA (R-6611A). AS A PLT BASED IN LEESBURG, VA, (JYO, 15 NM NNW OF WASHINGTON DULLES ARPT) WHICH UNDERLIES THE WASHINGTON CLASS B AIRSPACE AND INSIDE THE WASHINGTON ADIZ, I AM ACCUSTOMED TO EXITING AND ENTERING THE ADIZ BOUNDARY WHERE IT IS ALIGNED WITH THE OUTER RING OF THE WASHINGTON CLASS B AIRSPACE, NOT THE WASHINGTON MODE C VEIL. I USED A CURRENT WASHINGTON SECTIONAL CHART (GOOD THROUGH FEB OF 04) FOR PLANNING THE FLT. GIVEN THAT THIS CHART DOES NOT INDICATE THE ADIZ BOUNDARIES, AND THE FACT THAT THE ADIZ BOUNDARY TO THE W IS ALIGNED WITH THE OUTER RING OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, I ASSUMED THAT THE ADIZ BOUNDARY TO THE S IS ALSO ALIGNED WITH THE OUTER RING OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THEREFORE, I CONCLUDED THAT MY FLT PATH WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON ADIZ. THIS RESULTED IN MY INADVERTENT FLT THROUGH THE WASHINGTON ADIZ WITHOUT FILING AN ADIZ FLT PLAN. UPON LNDG AT CULPEPPER ARPT (CJR, APPROX 35 NM NW OF BROOKE), I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE ARPT ATTENDANT THAT I NEEDED TO CALL THE POTOMAC TRACON. UPON CALLING POTOMAC, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEIR DATA INDICATED THAT MY RTE OF FLT WAS INSIDE THE WASHINGTON ADIZ. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE ADIZ DOES NOT FOLLOW THE OUTER RING OF THE WASHINGTON CLASS B AIRSPACE IN ALL INSTANCES. OBVIOUSLY, THE ADIZ IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE WASHINGTON SECTIONAL, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PLTS, FSS, AND ATC PERSONNEL, TO KNOW THE EXACT BOUNDARIES OF THE ADIZ. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT MAKES IT CONSIDERABLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR FSS PERSONNEL TO CLRLY DESCRIBE THE BOUNDARIES TO PLTS DURING A VERBAL PREFLT TELEPHONE BRIEFING. IN FACT, DURING MY CONVERSATION WITH THE POTOMAC TRACON, I ASKED THE GENTLEMAN ON THE PHONE WHAT THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE ADIZ WAS. HE INDICATED THAT HE WASN'T SURE AND PUT ME ON HOLD IN ORDER TO ASK SOMEONE. AT THIS POINT, IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS LITTLE SUPPORT WITHIN THE GOV FOR REMOVING THE ADIZ REQUIREMENTS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA. AS SUCH, I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THE ADIZ BOUNDARIES BE CLRLY SHOWN ON THE WASHINGTON CHARTS AS IS DONE FOR THE PROHIBITED AREA AROUND THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. THIS SHOULD HELP TO AVOID CONFUSION AMONG THE FLYING COMMUNITY.

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.