37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 633435 |
Time | |
Date | 200410 |
Day | Sat |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : gai.airport |
State Reference | MD |
Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Navigation In Use | other |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Operator | other |
Make Model Name | Helicopter |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : private |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 44.9 flight time total : 227.2 flight time type : 22.8 |
ASRS Report | 633435 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : faa |
Function | controller : flight data other personnel |
Events | |
Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence other |
Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact |
Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I contacted the dca FSS to get a forecast, and before the flight I contacted them again to get a preflight briefing and to file an ADIZ flight plan. Although I am new to the dc area, I briefed myself carefully before flying into the ADIZ, and was able to fly into gai. Before initiating my taxi I contacted approach and was told that there was no flight plan on file. I then shut down, and contacted leesburg again to file my flight plan the same as I had done previously. That done, I started up, contacted pct approach, and was told to transmit a discreet transponder frequency (1234) and monitor 125.52. I tuned the transponder as directed, and departed gai. Once airborne and away from the traffic pattern I tuned my radio as directed by pct approach and left the vicinity of heading west. About the time we reached the outer limits of the ADIZ I realized that my radio had gone quiet, and did not believe myself to be still in contact with pct approach. I called pct approach, but did not receive a reply. I immediately reversed course on a heading around the dca class B and towards gai. Soon thereafter a military helicopter was spotted off our starboard wing. The helicopter disappeared from view behind the aircraft. Finally, I was able to establish 2-WAY radio contact with pct approach. (I had been receiving xmissions right after my turn around.) I was directed to squawk the transponder code I had been using, and was cleared to gai with the appropriate frequency change. After landing I realized something was amiss as the helicopter landed and 4 tsa officers approached. I idented myself as the pilot, and cooperated with them fully. They were courteous and professional, and requested that I contact the TRACON and furnished me with the appropriate telephone number. We secured the aircraft and departed. On the way back to my hotel I contacted pct TRACON and answered all of their questions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT OF A PA28 VIOLATED AN ADIZ BECAUSE OF COMS DIFFICULTIES.
Narrative: I CONTACTED THE DCA FSS TO GET A FORECAST, AND BEFORE THE FLT I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN TO GET A PREFLT BRIEFING AND TO FILE AN ADIZ FLT PLAN. ALTHOUGH I AM NEW TO THE DC AREA, I BRIEFED MYSELF CAREFULLY BEFORE FLYING INTO THE ADIZ, AND WAS ABLE TO FLY INTO GAI. BEFORE INITIATING MY TAXI I CONTACTED APCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN ON FILE. I THEN SHUT DOWN, AND CONTACTED LEESBURG AGAIN TO FILE MY FLT PLAN THE SAME AS I HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. THAT DONE, I STARTED UP, CONTACTED PCT APCH, AND WAS TOLD TO XMIT A DISCREET XPONDER FREQ (1234) AND MONITOR 125.52. I TUNED THE XPONDER AS DIRECTED, AND DEPARTED GAI. ONCE AIRBORNE AND AWAY FROM THE TFC PATTERN I TUNED MY RADIO AS DIRECTED BY PCT APCH AND LEFT THE VICINITY OF HDG W. ABOUT THE TIME WE REACHED THE OUTER LIMITS OF THE ADIZ I REALIZED THAT MY RADIO HAD GONE QUIET, AND DID NOT BELIEVE MYSELF TO BE STILL IN CONTACT WITH PCT APCH. I CALLED PCT APCH, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A REPLY. I IMMEDIATELY REVERSED COURSE ON A HDG AROUND THE DCA CLASS B AND TOWARDS GAI. SOON THEREAFTER A MIL HELI WAS SPOTTED OFF OUR STARBOARD WING. THE HELI DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW BEHIND THE ACFT. FINALLY, I WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH 2-WAY RADIO CONTACT WITH PCT APCH. (I HAD BEEN RECEIVING XMISSIONS RIGHT AFTER MY TURN AROUND.) I WAS DIRECTED TO SQUAWK THE XPONDER CODE I HAD BEEN USING, AND WAS CLRED TO GAI WITH THE APPROPRIATE FREQ CHANGE. AFTER LNDG I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS AMISS AS THE HELI LANDED AND 4 TSA OFFICERS APCHED. I IDENTED MYSELF AS THE PLT, AND COOPERATED WITH THEM FULLY. THEY WERE COURTEOUS AND PROFESSIONAL, AND REQUESTED THAT I CONTACT THE TRACON AND FURNISHED ME WITH THE APPROPRIATE TELEPHONE NUMBER. WE SECURED THE ACFT AND DEPARTED. ON THE WAY BACK TO MY HOTEL I CONTACTED PCT TRACON AND ANSWERED ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS.
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.