C310 PLTS ATTEMPT VISUAL NAV IN UNITED STATES BORDER AREA AND INADVERTENTLY PENETRATE FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

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THIS IS A CASE OF INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING. I WAS ON A TRAINING FLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. WE DEPARTED HOUSTON HOBBY IN VMC. A FEW SCATTERED CLOUDS; VISIBILITY UNRESTR. WE HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ST LOUIS; MO; BUT THE WX N OF DALLAS HAD FRONTAL CHANGES AND A CHANCE OF TSTMS. THIS FLT WAS TO GIVE ME TIME/CHKOUT IN THE C310. I HAD NO TIME IN THIS TYPE AND NEEDED 10 HRS FOR THE INSURANCE. I ASKED THE CFI IF HE WANTED TO FLY W TO MARFA; TX. I WOULD BE FLYING THERE IN A FEW DAYS AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ACTUALLY SEE THE TOPOGRAPHY AND ARPT. WE FLEW TO MARFA; REFUELED. THEN; ON A WHIM; WE DECIDED TO FLY TO LAJITAS; A SMALL UNCTLED ARPT AT THE MEXICAN BORDER. WE HAD LUNCH. FOLLOWING THAT; WE WERE A BIT RUSHED TO GET BACK TO HOUSTON. I HAD A MEETING ABOUT XD00. WE DEPARTED AROUND XA00. THE GEOGRAPHY IS SUCH THAT A STRAIGHT LINE BACK TO HOUSTON FROM LAJITAS (IT IS NEAR THE BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK) WOULD CROSS THROUGH MEXICAN AIRSPACE. I AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD LOOK UP AN ARPT THAT WAS N OF THE MEXICAN AIRSPACE THAT WE COULD USE TO CIRCUMVENT THEIR AIRSPACE. THE CFI HAD NOT VENTURED OUT TO THIS PART OF THE STATE (HE HAS BEEN A CFI/ATP FOR MANY YRS) AND WAS ALSO NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE GEOGRAPHY/ARPTS. WE DID IN FACT HAVE CURRENT SECTIONALS; AFD AND IFR CHARTS; BUT ELECTED TO KEEP THE RIO GRAND OFF TO OUR R BECAUSE IT IS THE BORDER TO MEXICO. THIS HAPHAZARD METHOD MIGHT HAVE WORKED EXCEPT THAT WHEN WE CAME OVER THE RIO GRAND RIVER WE DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT FOR WHAT IS WAS. WE DISCUSSED THE ALMOST DRY 'CREEK BED' BELOW US AND FELT THAT THE RIO GRAND COULDN'T BE THAT SMALL. WE CROSSED THE BORDER. MAYBE 15 MINS LATER; WE COULD SEE THAT THE 'SMALL CREEK BED' WAS NOW A LARGE RIVER WITH WATER. KNOWING THAT WE HAD ENTERED THE AIRSPACE; WE CONTACTED THE DEL RIO APCH CTL. BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE WHEN WE GAVE THEM A POS RPT. WE DISCUSSED BTWN US (THE 2 PLTS) THAT POSSIBLY WE COULD BE INTERCEPTED AND WHAT AIR SIGNALS WOULD MEAN WHAT. WE FLEW UNEVENTFULLY ON TO HOBBY FIELD AND LANDED. AS WE TAXIED UP; SEVERAL CUSTOM AGENTS AND POLICE MET US. THEY WERE FRIENDLY AND COURTEOUS; BUT ALSO ARMED. WE WERE INFORMED OF THE PENALTIES; BUT IN THE END; RELEASED ALONG WITH THE PLANE AFTER QUESTIONING AND SEARCH. SEVERAL LESSONS: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING. HAVE VISUAL LANDMARKS AND USE ALL AVAILABLE EQUIP. WE HAD A GPS; WE HAD CHARTS. SECOND; WE COULD HAVE HELPED THE AUTHS BY MORE CLRLY ARTICULATING TO DEL RIO APCH THAT WE KNEW WERE IN VIOLATION OF THE AIRSPACE TO HAVE HIM CONTACT OTHER AUTHS. WE WERE LUCKY THEY DIDN'T TRY TO SHOOT US DOWN GIVEN EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY. FINALLY; WHEN YOU HEAR THAT LITTLE VOICE TELL YOU 'THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT;' FOLLOW IT. ALMOST ALWAYS YOU CAN STAY CLR OF TROUBLE. I AM GLAD THE AUTHS LET US GO. A LESSON LEARNED.