Narrative:

While on flight following on a VFR flight from santa rosa, ca, to dallas, tx, I inadvertently entered restr area R4807 about 46 mi from the tonopah VOR on the 85 degree right. My attention had been temporarily diverted to the patient I was transferring to dallas for medical attention. I was on flight following with a discrete transponder frequency on this flight and was not notified by center that I was on course to enter a restr airspace until I was already in restr airspace. The controllers seemed to have waited for me to enter the restr airspace and were more interested in plying me for my pilot information than in the safety of my flight at a time when I had my hands full with the plane and a patient in pain. If flight following is to be beneficial to VFR pilots, center must follow the flight for traffic sep, terrain and airspace. I am a conscientious pilot. I take regular refresher flts from an instrument in my aircraft. I am currently taking instrument training. I work hard to be knowledgeable in and to use all the various features of the ATC system. After this experience, I will be less likely to file a flight plan and get on flight following for it does not apparently enhance the safety of flight and it increases your chances of being violated. Had I not been using the system, the mistake I made would have gone unreported.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENTERED RESTRICTED AREA WHILE ON VFR FLT FOLLOWING WITH ARTCC, FEELS THAT ARTCC CTLR SHOULD HAVE ADVISED HIM SOONER THAT HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: WHILE ON FLT FOLLOWING ON A VFR FLT FROM SANTA ROSA, CA, TO DALLAS, TX, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED RESTR AREA R4807 ABOUT 46 MI FROM THE TONOPAH VOR ON THE 85 DEG R. MY ATTN HAD BEEN TEMPORARILY DIVERTED TO THE PATIENT I WAS TRANSFERRING TO DALLAS FOR MEDICAL ATTN. I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING WITH A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER FREQ ON THIS FLT AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY CENTER THAT I WAS ON COURSE TO ENTER A RESTR AIRSPACE UNTIL I WAS ALREADY IN RESTR AIRSPACE. THE CTLRS SEEMED TO HAVE WAITED FOR ME TO ENTER THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND WERE MORE INTERESTED IN PLYING ME FOR MY PLT INFO THAN IN THE SAFETY OF MY FLT AT A TIME WHEN I HAD MY HANDS FULL WITH THE PLANE AND A PATIENT IN PAIN. IF FLT FOLLOWING IS TO BE BENEFICIAL TO VFR PLTS, CENTER MUST FOLLOW THE FLT FOR TFC SEP, TERRAIN AND AIRSPACE. I AM A CONSCIENTIOUS PLT. I TAKE REGULAR REFRESHER FLTS FROM AN INSTR IN MY ACFT. I AM CURRENTLY TAKING INSTRUMENT TRNING. I WORK HARD TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN AND TO USE ALL THE VARIOUS FEATURES OF THE ATC SYS. AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE, I WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO FILE A FLT PLAN AND GET ON FLT FOLLOWING FOR IT DOES NOT APPARENTLY ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF FLT AND IT INCREASES YOUR CHANCES OF BEING VIOLATED. HAD I NOT BEEN USING THE SYS, THE MISTAKE I MADE WOULD HAVE GONE UNREPORTED.

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.