Narrative:

When finished photographing, we proceeded southwest toward bradley field, ct, at 2000' MSL, passing about 10 mi south of the worcester airport. When he saw worcester at our right, the chief architect requested that we circle the holy cross campus to take photos of a new bldg and football field he had built there recently. I deviated north and circled the campus twice at about 1800' MSL. Not having planned this deviation, I did not check the exact distance from worcester airport, but judged it to be more than 5 SM. Worcester airport is located on a 1000' high plateau, which makes it appear farther than it is. Holy cross is actually 4 SM from worcester airport center, as scaled on the ny sectional chart. When finished, I resumed my course toward bradley field and called bradley approach when 33 mi out. Bradley approach told me that worcester tower wanted to talk to me. I was informed that I had entered their air traffic area west/O prior permission. Bradley ground control gave me a second message to call them on the telephone. I was told that they would report the violation. At the time, it seemed unnecessary to call worcester tower, and I didn't want to distract my attention long enough to look up their frequency. In hindsight, I should obviously have called worcester tower. I do not judge the incident to have involved danger of collision, considering the exceptional visibility. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states no follow up to this date. Annoyed because FAA is so adversarial toward GA pilots. FAA controllers make mistakes too, but he doesn't challenge them each time. Feels strongly about aviation safety and takes flight safety training every 6 months.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATION ATA.

Narrative: WHEN FINISHED PHOTOGRAPHING, WE PROCEEDED SW TOWARD BRADLEY FIELD, CT, AT 2000' MSL, PASSING ABOUT 10 MI S OF THE WORCESTER ARPT. WHEN HE SAW WORCESTER AT OUR RIGHT, THE CHIEF ARCHITECT REQUESTED THAT WE CIRCLE THE HOLY CROSS CAMPUS TO TAKE PHOTOS OF A NEW BLDG AND FOOTBALL FIELD HE HAD BUILT THERE RECENTLY. I DEVIATED N AND CIRCLED THE CAMPUS TWICE AT ABOUT 1800' MSL. NOT HAVING PLANNED THIS DEVIATION, I DID NOT CHK THE EXACT DISTANCE FROM WORCESTER ARPT, BUT JUDGED IT TO BE MORE THAN 5 SM. WORCESTER ARPT IS LOCATED ON A 1000' HIGH PLATEAU, WHICH MAKES IT APPEAR FARTHER THAN IT IS. HOLY CROSS IS ACTUALLY 4 SM FROM WORCESTER ARPT CENTER, AS SCALED ON THE NY SECTIONAL CHART. WHEN FINISHED, I RESUMED MY COURSE TOWARD BRADLEY FIELD AND CALLED BRADLEY APCH WHEN 33 MI OUT. BRADLEY APCH TOLD ME THAT WORCESTER TWR WANTED TO TALK TO ME. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD ENTERED THEIR ATA W/O PRIOR PERMISSION. BRADLEY GND CTL GAVE ME A SECOND MESSAGE TO CALL THEM ON THE TELEPHONE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD RPT THE VIOLATION. AT THE TIME, IT SEEMED UNNECESSARY TO CALL WORCESTER TWR, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO DISTRACT MY ATTN LONG ENOUGH TO LOOK UP THEIR FREQ. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE CALLED WORCESTER TWR. I DO NOT JUDGE THE INCIDENT TO HAVE INVOLVED DANGER OF COLLISION, CONSIDERING THE EXCEPTIONAL VIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES NO FOLLOW UP TO THIS DATE. ANNOYED BECAUSE FAA IS SO ADVERSARIAL TOWARD GA PLTS. FAA CTLRS MAKE MISTAKES TOO, BUT HE DOESN'T CHALLENGE THEM EACH TIME. FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT AVIATION SAFETY AND TAKES FLT SAFETY TRNING EVERY 6 MONTHS.

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.