A PA28 PLT DEVIATED FROM CTLR'S CLRNC AS HE BECOMES SCARED OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Date: 2001-07 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

A PA28 PLT DEVIATED FROM CTLR'S CLRNC AS HE BECOMES SCARED OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative

I'M A FAIRLY NEW PLT WITH MOST OF MY CURRENT EXPERIENCE IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE. I REALIZED THAT I WAS LACKING EXPERIENCE IN INTERACTING WITH ATC PERSONNEL AND CONSCIOUSLY MADE AN EFFORT TO GAIN A GREATER COMFORT IN THAT AREA. I HAD SPOKE WITH A PLT FRIEND WHO HAD FREQUENTLY FLOWN AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND TRANSITIONS THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE AND I WANTED TO GAIN THAT SAME LEVEL OF COMFORT. I FLEW WITH THE PLT FRIEND SEVERAL WKS PRIOR TO THE EVENT TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS. I REVIEWED THE COMS PROCS ON MY OWN (ON THE GND) AND DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE WKEND THAT I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS MY MIKE FRIGHT AND GAIN A GREATER COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE BY INTERACTING WITH ATC. AS A STUDENT; I HAD LEARNED AT A TWRED ARPT BUT SINCE LOST THAT LEVEL OF COMFORT. AT NO TIME DURING MY STUDENT TRAINING DID WE PRACTICE TRANSITIONING THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE; BUT I FELT I WAS READY TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL. (IN ADDITION; I TRY TO FORCE MYSELF TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW OR GAIN NEW EXPERIENCES WITH EACH FLT.) I DEPARTED FDK ARPT ENRTE TO MANASSAS. ABOUT 20 MI N OF DULLES (NEAR DICKERSON) AT 2000 FT AND HDG S; I CONTACTED DULLES APCH; TOLD THEM WHO I WAS; WHERE I WAS; AND REQUESTED TO TRANSITION CLASS B AIRSPACE ENRTE TO MANASSAS. AFTER A FEW MINS; THE CTLR GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE. I ASKED THE CTLR TO REPEAT THE XMISSION TO ENSURE THAT I HAD THE CORRECT SQUAWK CODE AND I READ IT BACK TO HIM. AFTER A MIN OR TWO; THE CTLR SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE ME ON THE RADAR AND ASKED ME TO ASCEND TO A HIGHER ALT. I REPEATED THE REQUEST BACK TO HIM. (I NOW REALIZE AT THIS POINT THAT I SHOULD HAVE SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR A CLRNC BECAUSE ASCENDING ABOVE 3000 FT AS I ENTERED THE THIRD RING NEAR N OF POOLESVILLE WHICH HAS 2500 FT UNCTLED AIRSPACE CEILING WOULD PUT ME IN CLASS B CTLED AIRSPACE.) AS I ASCENDED AND WAITED FOR HIS RESPONSE AS TO WHETHER HE COULD SEE ME ON RADAR; I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CTLR GAVE ME A 090 DEG HDG AT 3500 FT AND SAID HE 'HAD ME ON RADAR BUT NEVER GAVE ME A CLRNC.' I WAS NOT SURE IF HE WAS MAKING THAT COMMENT TO ME SPECIFICALLY OR HIMSELF; BUT I GOT SCARED AND THOUGHT I SHOULD RETREAT FROM CLASS B AIRSPACE BY DSNDING AND CHANGING MY COURSE BACK TO THE N; WHICH I ACTED ON. THE CTLR ASKED ME 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' I CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT I REPLIED; BUT THE CTLR EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS ROUTING ME TO THE VFR CORRIDOR E OF DULLES AND TO THE E SIDE OF MANASSAS. HE DID NOT MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE CLRNC AT THAT TIME. HE REPEATED WHAT MY ALT AND HDG SHOULD BE AND I PROMPTLY ACKNOWLEDGED HIS REQUEST BY REPEATING IT BACK TO HIM AND RETURNED TO THE PROPER ALT AND HDG. THE CTLR PASSED ME THROUGH THE VFR CORRIDOR ON THE E SIDE OF DULLES AND I PROCEEDED ON TOWARDS MANASSAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY LACK OF EXPERIENCE ON MY PART. WHAT I CAN DO TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE IN THE FUTURE IS TO GET MORE EXPOSURE BY FLYING WITH OTHER PLTS AND PRACTICE AND CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE PROCS ON THE GND. I RECENTLY ACQUIRED SOFTWARE THAT HELPS YOU PRACTICE VFR RADIO COMS. I WAS SCARED DURING THE EVENT BUT LEARNED A COUPLE OF VALUABLE LESSONS: 1) EXPLICITLY GET A CLRNC BEFORE ENTERING CLASS B AIRSPACE. (ASK TO REPEAT; IF NECESSARY). 2) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD I DIVERT FROM THE ALT OR HDG GIVEN TO ME BY A CTLR. AFTER THE EVENT; I WAS DISCOURAGED AND TALKED WITH A COUPLE OF PLT FRIENDS ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE. I CONVEYED TO THEM THAT I WAS THINKING OF JUST STAYING CLR OF CTLED AIRSPACE WHENEVER I FLY. THEY RESPONDED TO ME SAYING WHAT I EXPERIENCED WAS ALL PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS AND THAT I WOULD BE DOING MYSELF A DISSERVICE IF I ONLY FLEW IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE OR SHIED AWAY FROM GAINING THE FAMILIARITY OF TALKING TO ATC.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.