Penetration arsa. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	98127
Time
Date	198811
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 121 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	98127
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight plan, gdn direct frg had just been cancelled, prior to contacting frg tower. Aircraft was southbound over long island sound, inbound for frg, descending out of 4500' for frg pattern entry, in contact with frg control tower. Stronger than expected crosswind out of the west blew aircraft off course. This combined with night disorientation (pilot had only 10.7 hours night) caused pilot to mistake pt jefferson stacks (north of isp) for northport stacks (north of frg) a common frg reporting point. Continuing southbound, pilot, looking for frg beacon/runway lights mistakenly proceeded towards isp, 15 NM east of frg. No landing was attempted, and aircraft was never a factor for other aircraft. Aircraft did, however, enter long island arsa (10 mi radius crossed isp) west/O clearance. Frg tower contacted ny approach, who agreed to locate aircraft on radar. Transponder code was issued, and aircraft was handed over to ny approach, who vectored aircraft west, out of arsa. Landing was made at frg after tower closure, 23:05 local time. Contributing factors were crosswind, low time night pilot, and failure of pilot to confirm pilotage and dead reckoning with VOR. Entry into arsa was entirely unintentional. Pilot has no previous violations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATION ARSA.

Narrative: VFR FLT PLAN, GDN DIRECT FRG HAD JUST BEEN CANCELLED, PRIOR TO CONTACTING FRG TWR. ACFT WAS SBND OVER LONG ISLAND SOUND, INBND FOR FRG, DSNDING OUT OF 4500' FOR FRG PATTERN ENTRY, IN CONTACT WITH FRG CTL TWR. STRONGER THAN EXPECTED XWIND OUT OF THE W BLEW ACFT OFF COURSE. THIS COMBINED WITH NIGHT DISORIENTATION (PLT HAD ONLY 10.7 HRS NIGHT) CAUSED PLT TO MISTAKE PT JEFFERSON STACKS (N OF ISP) FOR NORTHPORT STACKS (N OF FRG) A COMMON FRG RPTING POINT. CONTINUING SBND, PLT, LOOKING FOR FRG BEACON/RWY LIGHTS MISTAKENLY PROCEEDED TOWARDS ISP, 15 NM E OF FRG. NO LNDG WAS ATTEMPTED, AND ACFT WAS NEVER A FACTOR FOR OTHER ACFT. ACFT DID, HOWEVER, ENTER LONG ISLAND ARSA (10 MI RADIUS CROSSED ISP) W/O CLRNC. FRG TWR CONTACTED NY APCH, WHO AGREED TO LOCATE ACFT ON RADAR. TRANSPONDER CODE WAS ISSUED, AND ACFT WAS HANDED OVER TO NY APCH, WHO VECTORED ACFT W, OUT OF ARSA. LNDG WAS MADE AT FRG AFTER TWR CLOSURE, 23:05 LCL TIME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE XWIND, LOW TIME NIGHT PLT, AND FAILURE OF PLT TO CONFIRM PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING WITH VOR. ENTRY INTO ARSA WAS ENTIRELY UNINTENTIONAL. PLT HAS NO PREVIOUS VIOLATIONS.

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.