Small aircraft flew through arsa without contacting controlling ATC facility.

Attributes
ACN	80771
Time
Date	198801
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 554
ASRS Report	80771
Person 2
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed N52, took a northwesterly heading climbing to 4500'. My transponder was in mode C, squawking 1200. Approximately 2 NM east of N43 (easton airport), I took a northerly heading to fly over the pocono ski areas, specifically camelback. Circled the ski area at 4500' MSL. Then, initiated a southwesterly heading to proceed to reading municipal (rdg) airport by pltage. Believing I was west of the abe arsa, I began a slow des. I then referenced my NOAA en route low altitude charts to dial in etx VOR, assuming heading of approximately 240 degrees. I next noticed large transport X approaching at about 1 O'clock and above me. I continued my des and turned to a more westerly heading. I believe I was now at 2000-2500' MSL. The airliner passed from right to left in front and above me at about 3-5 mi. There was no evasive action. I continued to des and observed the airliner fly easterly and then observed abe airport at about my 10-11 O'clock position and approximately 10 NM. Passing over the etx VOR at or under 2000' MSL, I took a heading of 234 degrees and attempted to contact reading approach to land for a cup of coffee. Reading approach had difficulty hearing my communications, so I initiated a crs climb to obtain better reception/transmission at about 2500' MSL. I was then assigned a discrete squawk and proceeded to land at rdg. Upon landing the tower informed me to call abe approach on the landline. This I immediately did. The supervisor at abe approach informed me that I was in their arsa, and asked if I saw large transport X. I said that I did see the airliner and that I did not realize I had entered and transited the arsa, believing I was west of it. He then informed me that he stopped the des (delayed) until it passed over me. Upon landing rdg I obtained a discrete code when airborne so that I could properly transit abe arsa on my return flight to N52, as my flight path would take me just south of the abe arsa. I believe the situation occurred because of the following: 1) I was flying VFR for pleasure with no specific destination in mind until airborne for awhile. 2) I was utilizing NOAA en route low altitude IFR charts which do not outline arsa's as they do TCA's. To prevent recurrence: NOAA en route low altitude charts should depict arsa's. When flying VFR I should have appropriate sectional to reference in addition to NOAA charts. Should enhance my distance judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLEW THROUGH ARSA WITHOUT CONTACTING CONTROLLING ATC FAC.

Narrative: DEPARTED N52, TOOK A NORTHWESTERLY HDG CLBING TO 4500'. MY TRANSPONDER WAS IN MODE C, SQUAWKING 1200. APPROX 2 NM E OF N43 (EASTON ARPT), I TOOK A NORTHERLY HDG TO FLY OVER THE POCONO SKI AREAS, SPECIFICALLY CAMELBACK. CIRCLED THE SKI AREA AT 4500' MSL. THEN, INITIATED A SOUTHWESTERLY HDG TO PROCEED TO READING MUNICIPAL (RDG) ARPT BY PLTAGE. BELIEVING I WAS W OF THE ABE ARSA, I BEGAN A SLOW DES. I THEN REFERENCED MY NOAA ENRTE LOW ALT CHARTS TO DIAL IN ETX VOR, ASSUMING HDG OF APPROX 240 DEGS. I NEXT NOTICED LGT X APCHING AT ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK AND ABOVE ME. I CONTINUED MY DES AND TURNED TO A MORE WESTERLY HDG. I BELIEVE I WAS NOW AT 2000-2500' MSL. THE AIRLINER PASSED FROM RIGHT TO LEFT IN FRONT AND ABOVE ME AT ABOUT 3-5 MI. THERE WAS NO EVASIVE ACTION. I CONTINUED TO DES AND OBSERVED THE AIRLINER FLY EASTERLY AND THEN OBSERVED ABE ARPT AT ABOUT MY 10-11 O'CLOCK POS AND APPROX 10 NM. PASSING OVER THE ETX VOR AT OR UNDER 2000' MSL, I TOOK A HDG OF 234 DEGS AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT READING APCH TO LAND FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. READING APCH HAD DIFFICULTY HEARING MY COMS, SO I INITIATED A CRS CLB TO OBTAIN BETTER RECEPTION/XMISSION AT ABOUT 2500' MSL. I WAS THEN ASSIGNED A DISCRETE SQUAWK AND PROCEEDED TO LAND AT RDG. UPON LNDG THE TWR INFORMED ME TO CALL ABE APCH ON THE LANDLINE. THIS I IMMEDIATELY DID. THE SUPVR AT ABE APCH INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN THEIR ARSA, AND ASKED IF I SAW LGT X. I SAID THAT I DID SEE THE AIRLINER AND THAT I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD ENTERED AND TRANSITED THE ARSA, BELIEVING I WAS W OF IT. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE STOPPED THE DES (DELAYED) UNTIL IT PASSED OVER ME. UPON LNDG RDG I OBTAINED A DISCRETE CODE WHEN AIRBORNE SO THAT I COULD PROPERLY TRANSIT ABE ARSA ON MY RETURN FLT TO N52, AS MY FLT PATH WOULD TAKE ME JUST S OF THE ABE ARSA. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) I WAS FLYING VFR FOR PLEASURE WITH NO SPECIFIC DEST IN MIND UNTIL AIRBORNE FOR AWHILE. 2) I WAS UTILIZING NOAA ENRTE LOW ALT IFR CHARTS WHICH DO NOT OUTLINE ARSA'S AS THEY DO TCA'S. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: NOAA ENRTE LOW ALT CHARTS SHOULD DEPICT ARSA'S. WHEN FLYING VFR I SHOULD HAVE APPROPRIATE SECTIONAL TO REFERENCE IN ADDITION TO NOAA CHARTS. SHOULD ENHANCE MY DISTANCE JUDGEMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.