Mwh controller described incident involving possible pilot deviation; aircraft vectored clear of res...

Attributes
ACN	735840
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mwh.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mwh.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	735840
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was called to relieve a cpc who explained that he thought he might have had an airspace violation. He had told an aircraft the R6714A was active to 6000 ft. The aircraft climbed to 6500 ft and as he was just about to enter R6714A; a ZSE controller called and verified that the cpc knew the restr area was active to 8000 ft. The cpc climbed the lance; and also issued a vector to try and keep the lance clear of the restr area. The cpc then called the atm; and within 1 hour the atm; operations supervisor came in and called another cpc to pull the radar data tapes. About 1 hour later the supervisor came in and informed me that the plane did in fact enter R6714A by about 1/8 mi. About 45 mins later the atm came in and informed me that she had gotten us out of it. I asked how she had done that; and she said the aircraft was VFR. I then asked; 'did we file a pilot deviation?' she responded no; it was our fault. I then asked if it was now all right to be in a restr area as long as you're VFR. She then stated no; however; she got us out of it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MWH CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT INVOLVING POSSIBLE PLTDEV; ACFT VECTORED CLEAR OF RESTRICTED AREA AFTER CONFUSION REGARDING ALT LIMITATION.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED TO RELIEVE A CPC WHO EXPLAINED THAT HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION. HE HAD TOLD AN ACFT THE R6714A WAS ACTIVE TO 6000 FT. THE ACFT CLBED TO 6500 FT AND AS HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO ENTER R6714A; A ZSE CTLR CALLED AND VERIFIED THAT THE CPC KNEW THE RESTR AREA WAS ACTIVE TO 8000 FT. THE CPC CLBED THE LANCE; AND ALSO ISSUED A VECTOR TO TRY AND KEEP THE LANCE CLR OF THE RESTR AREA. THE CPC THEN CALLED THE ATM; AND WITHIN 1 HR THE ATM; OPS SUPVR CAME IN AND CALLED ANOTHER CPC TO PULL THE RADAR DATA TAPES. ABOUT 1 HR LATER THE SUPVR CAME IN AND INFORMED ME THAT THE PLANE DID IN FACT ENTER R6714A BY ABOUT 1/8 MI. ABOUT 45 MINS LATER THE ATM CAME IN AND INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN US OUT OF IT. I ASKED HOW SHE HAD DONE THAT; AND SHE SAID THE ACFT WAS VFR. I THEN ASKED; 'DID WE FILE A PLTDEV?' SHE RESPONDED NO; IT WAS OUR FAULT. I THEN ASKED IF IT WAS NOW ALL RIGHT TO BE IN A RESTR AREA AS LONG AS YOU'RE VFR. SHE THEN STATED NO; HOWEVER; SHE GOT US OUT OF IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Mwh controller described incident involving possible pilot deviation; aircraft vectored clear of restricted area after confusion regarding altitude limitation.