SR20 PLT; POLICE OFFICER; FOUND OUT HOW UNWORKABLE ATTEMPTING TO GET CLRNC INTO DC ADIZ. THE PLT PENETRATED THE ADIZ AFTER THE PCT APCH CTLR AND THE NHK MILFAC CTLR REFUSED TO RESPOND TO PLTS COM REQUEST.
Synopsis
SR20 PLT; POLICE OFFICER; FOUND OUT HOW UNWORKABLE ATTEMPTING TO GET CLRNC INTO DC ADIZ. THE PLT PENETRATED THE ADIZ AFTER THE PCT APCH CTLR AND THE NHK MILFAC CTLR REFUSED TO RESPOND TO PLTS COM REQUEST.
Narrative
I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND A PLT WITH OVER 15 YRS OF EXPERIENCE IN AVIATION. I HAVE ALSO BEEN REQUESTED BY OTHER GOVERNMENT INTERDICTION AGENCIES TO STOP AND DETAIN PLTS WHO HAVE ALLEGEDLY VIOLATED THIS AIRSPACE AND LANDED AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPARK; MD. AT XA00 HRS; I PROCEEDED TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN FROM GAI TO OXB. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD FILED VFR IN A YEAR. THE FLT DOWN TO OXB WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT XD00 HRS; I PROCEEDED TO FILE A RETURN FLT PLAN WHICH HAD AN ORIGINAL DEP TIME OF XF30 LCL TIME. JYO FSS WAS CONTACTED FOR AN AMENDED DEP TIME OF XG30 LCL. AT XG15 HRS; I PROCEEDED TO RWY 20. AFTER ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO OBTAIN A CLRNC THROUGH CLRNC DELIVERY AND MILLVILLE FSS; I CONTACTED PATUXENT APCH (127.95) TO OBTAIN A CLRNC. PATUXENT ALLOWED A TRANSITION THROUGH R4006 AND HANDED ME OFF TO PCT APCH. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO PCT AND THEN NO ANSWER FROM PCT; I PROCEEDED TO OBTAIN MORE FREQUENCIES FOR PCT. PCT APCH WAS HEARD SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL ACFT; BUT DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY XMISSION MADE BY ME. AFTER 20 MINS OF ATTEMPTING TO GAIN A SQUAWK CODE; HIGHER ALT AND NOW 42KM E OF DCA AT 2500 FT; CTLR FINALLY ANSWERED ME AND ADMITTED HE HAD BEEN IGNORING ME. HE ANGRILY ADVISED TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND THE 'ZONE' AND STATED HE WOULD CALL ME. THE CTLR REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME FOR A REQUEST FOR HIGHER ALT. AFTER A FEW TURNS IN HOLDING 10 KM E OF BAY BRIDGE ARPT; A DIFFERENT CTLR GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE AND ALLOWED ME TO ENTER THE CORRIDOR TO GAI. WHILE ENRTE; THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO CALL UPON LNDG. LATER; THE ARTCC SUPVR ADVISED A PLT DEVIATION RPT WILL BE INITIATED. A CTLR HAD RPTED A VIOLATION OF AIRSPACE WITHIN THE 30 KM OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. SINCE I HAD REMAINED CLR OF THE 15 KM RADIUS OF DCA AND CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE; I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY PENETRATION OR INCURSION. A VFR SECTIONAL DEPICTED A 15 KM RADIUS OF DCA. HOWEVER; ON 03/THUR/03; THE AIRSPACE IN THIS CORRIDOR HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 30 KM. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS UNTIL THIS WRITING. SOMETIME AFTER 03/THUR/03 A SIGN HAD BEEN POSTED ON THE FRONT DOOR OF THE PRIMARY FBO. THIS SIGN NOTIFIES 60% OF THE PLTS AT GAI. HOWEVER; THE OTHER 40% OF PLTS GO THROUGH A CODED GATE ON THE NW SIDE OF THE FIELD. I FEEL THIS ERROR WAS MADE BY ME IN FAILING TO KNOW THE EXACT BORDER OF THE NEW ZONE AND THE REFUSAL OF COMMUNICATION BY ATC. I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS WHICH SHOULD IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF TRAVEL FROM GAI AND THROUGH THE DCA CORRIDOR. A VFR SECTIONAL SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THE NEW AIRSPACE CHANGE COVERING THE ENTIRE 30 KM OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. NO PLT SHOULD BE IGNORED BY ATC. I FEEL CTLRS ARE HABITUALLY IGNORING GENERAL AVIATION ACFT. AT GAI; A SIGN SHOULD BE POSTED ON THE GATE LEADING TO PERSONAL AND CLUB ACFT INDICATING THIS NEW AIRSPACE. THE AWOS SHOULD INDICATE THE RANGE OF THIS NEW AIRSPACE RATHER THAN JUST A SQUAWK CODE FOR TRANSITION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.