Narrative:

First, I am an IFR flight instructor and know better than to let this happen. I had just purchased this airplane and was delayed getting airborne after a lengthy preflight. Up to this point I had been flying full IFR panel aircraft, daily. This plane had only an ill-functioning 720 communication and mode C transponder, no navigation equipment. I was dead-reckoning to a maintenance facility in PA (haven't done that in a while) while my attention was trying to get my communication radio functioning. I drifted too close to dca area. I thought I was under class B limitations, area published is 10000 ft/4500 ft. I am very comfortable communicating with ATC and make it a priority in-flight so as to avoid this very thing. My error was focusing too long on trying to get my communication radio working while piloting an aircraft, I was solo. I realized my error visually and immediately made corrections in dead-reckoning to avoid this class B airspace. Dead-reckoning became my priority as I flew past the dca area, fredericks (fdk) and prohibited area P-40. I then refocused my attention on radios after passing littlestown, PA, and got my radio functioning by york, PA (thv). Lancaster control tower was the agency that told me to contact potomac radar. I was then informed that the iad TCA was active to the surface and not at the published lower level of 4500 ft MSL. My FSS briefer did not mention this. Understand, I know this infraction is my error, I did not track my intended flight as I wanted or planned. And it will not ever happen again. Positional awareness is always priority. I teach my students this and yet failed to do it myself. By flying everyday, having received flight instructor of the yr awards, complacency has slapped me in the face. I've learned something today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERCOUPE 415-C PLT ENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT A CLRNC OR DISCRETE XPONDER CODE.

Narrative: FIRST, I AM AN IFR FLT INSTRUCTOR AND KNOW BETTER THAN TO LET THIS HAPPEN. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS AIRPLANE AND WAS DELAYED GETTING AIRBORNE AFTER A LENGTHY PREFLT. UP TO THIS POINT I HAD BEEN FLYING FULL IFR PANEL ACFT, DAILY. THIS PLANE HAD ONLY AN ILL-FUNCTIONING 720 COM AND MODE C XPONDER, NO NAV EQUIP. I WAS DEAD-RECKONING TO A MAINT FACILITY IN PA (HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN A WHILE) WHILE MY ATTN WAS TRYING TO GET MY COM RADIO FUNCTIONING. I DRIFTED TOO CLOSE TO DCA AREA. I THOUGHT I WAS UNDER CLASS B LIMITATIONS, AREA PUBLISHED IS 10000 FT/4500 FT. I AM VERY COMFORTABLE COMMUNICATING WITH ATC AND MAKE IT A PRIORITY INFLT SO AS TO AVOID THIS VERY THING. MY ERROR WAS FOCUSING TOO LONG ON TRYING TO GET MY COM RADIO WORKING WHILE PILOTING AN ACFT, I WAS SOLO. I REALIZED MY ERROR VISUALLY AND IMMEDIATELY MADE CORRECTIONS IN DEAD-RECKONING TO AVOID THIS CLASS B AIRSPACE. DEAD-RECKONING BECAME MY PRIORITY AS I FLEW PAST THE DCA AREA, FREDERICKS (FDK) AND PROHIBITED AREA P-40. I THEN REFOCUSED MY ATTN ON RADIOS AFTER PASSING LITTLESTOWN, PA, AND GOT MY RADIO FUNCTIONING BY YORK, PA (THV). LANCASTER CTL TWR WAS THE AGENCY THAT TOLD ME TO CONTACT POTOMAC RADAR. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE IAD TCA WAS ACTIVE TO THE SURFACE AND NOT AT THE PUBLISHED LOWER LEVEL OF 4500 FT MSL. MY FSS BRIEFER DID NOT MENTION THIS. UNDERSTAND, I KNOW THIS INFRACTION IS MY ERROR, I DID NOT TRACK MY INTENDED FLT AS I WANTED OR PLANNED. AND IT WILL NOT EVER HAPPEN AGAIN. POSITIONAL AWARENESS IS ALWAYS PRIORITY. I TEACH MY STUDENTS THIS AND YET FAILED TO DO IT MYSELF. BY FLYING EVERYDAY, HAVING RECEIVED FLT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YR AWARDS, COMPLACENCY HAS SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. I'VE LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY.

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.