Narrative:

I allowed myself to be responsible for someone else's mistake by accepting responsibilities of PIC when I was not. Returning from a business trip from mygf (freeport), I filed the VFR flight plan for the owner/pilot, using my name (not knowing his last name and not nearby, mistake #1). On the return, there was only one headset and the speaker was very garbled. I figured he should have the headset as he was PF (mistake #2). On departure, I heard him contact ZMA and did hear they were too busy to handle us. I remembered a mia approach control frequency and told him to try that. Approach told us to contact them 25 mi out for a code. Rarely do I fly VFR, and I thought this was ok. After we landed and were at customs (fxe), they informed us we did not have a flight plan and had a fighter escort with a law enforcement helicopter! Because my name was on the flight plan, and I filled out all the arrival paperwork, I believed I was responsible. After a phone call to ZMA supervisor explaining what had happened, I realized that my pilot/owner did not open the flight plan when we departed freeport -- which I thought he did. (We did contact them 30 mi out and got a code to squawk.) I remembered trying to decide whether to file IFR or VFR and wasn't sure if the altimeter/transponder checks were current, so I elected to file VFR. Had I filed IFR and received the clearance, as I usually do, this would not have started this chain of events. It will be clear next time who is PIC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT ENTERED THE ADIZ WITHOUT PERMISSION, WHICH CAUSED AN INTERCEPTOR ESCORT TO BE SCRAMBLED TO FOLLOW HIM TO HIS DEST OF FXE.

Narrative: I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S MISTAKE BY ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITIES OF PIC WHEN I WAS NOT. RETURNING FROM A BUSINESS TRIP FROM MYGF (FREEPORT), I FILED THE VFR FLT PLAN FOR THE OWNER/PLT, USING MY NAME (NOT KNOWING HIS LAST NAME AND NOT NEARBY, MISTAKE #1). ON THE RETURN, THERE WAS ONLY ONE HEADSET AND THE SPEAKER WAS VERY GARBLED. I FIGURED HE SHOULD HAVE THE HEADSET AS HE WAS PF (MISTAKE #2). ON DEP, I HEARD HIM CONTACT ZMA AND DID HEAR THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO HANDLE US. I REMEMBERED A MIA APCH CTL FREQ AND TOLD HIM TO TRY THAT. APCH TOLD US TO CONTACT THEM 25 MI OUT FOR A CODE. RARELY DO I FLY VFR, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS OK. AFTER WE LANDED AND WERE AT CUSTOMS (FXE), THEY INFORMED US WE DID NOT HAVE A FLT PLAN AND HAD A FIGHTER ESCORT WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI! BECAUSE MY NAME WAS ON THE FLT PLAN, AND I FILLED OUT ALL THE ARR PAPERWORK, I BELIEVED I WAS RESPONSIBLE. AFTER A PHONE CALL TO ZMA SUPVR EXPLAINING WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I REALIZED THAT MY PLT/OWNER DID NOT OPEN THE FLT PLAN WHEN WE DEPARTED FREEPORT -- WHICH I THOUGHT HE DID. (WE DID CONTACT THEM 30 MI OUT AND GOT A CODE TO SQUAWK.) I REMEMBERED TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO FILE IFR OR VFR AND WASN'T SURE IF THE ALTIMETER/XPONDER CHKS WERE CURRENT, SO I ELECTED TO FILE VFR. HAD I FILED IFR AND RECEIVED THE CLRNC, AS I USUALLY DO, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS. IT WILL BE CLR NEXT TIME WHO IS PIC.

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.