2003-06 · NASA ASRS report 585826
R22 PLT ENTERED ZDC ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC OR A DISCREET XPONDER CODE.
I HAD PLANNED A MINIMUM 75 NM (2 HR) TRIP FOR PART OF MY COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS IN MARCH 2003 PRIOR TO MY INSTRUCTOR LEAVING UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2003. I TOLD HIM I WOULD FLY FROM FDK TO OKV TO HEF AND BACK TO FDK; AND HE SAID 'OK.' DUE TO INCLEMENT WX AND LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF THE HELI; I COULDN'T MAKE THE FLT UNTIL JUN/SUN/03. I CALLED WX BRIEF AND WAS AWARE OF CAMP DAVID. I ALSO TOLD THE PEOPLE FROM WHERE I RENT THE HELI AND THEY SAID THAT THE RTE I PLANNED WAS A NICE ONE. I TOOK OFF AT FROM FDK AT XA00 HRS AND FLEW TO OKV; LANDED AND REFUELED. I TOOK OFF FROM OKV AND HEADED FOR HEF. WHEN I GOT OVER LAKE MANASSAS (WHERE I NORMALLY CONTACT THE HEF TWR) I LISTENED TO HEF ATIS AND HEARD THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 21 KTS. I OPTED TO BREAKOFF THE APCH AND RETURN TO FDK; STAYING W OF LEESBURG ARPT BY ABOUT 8 MI TO AVOID THEIR TFC. THE MANASSAS TWR RADIOED REQUESTING IDENTIFICATION AND I RESPONDED WITH 'HELI' THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM. MY ALT WAS 1500 FT MSL AND AIRSPD WAS 80 KTS. AS I WAS DUE W OF LEESBURG ARPT; THE UNITED STATES CUSTOMS BLACKHAWK APCHED ON MY L SIDE FROM BEHIND AND DISPLAYED A SIGN WITH 121.5 RADIO FREQ TO CONTACT THEM. I ADJUSTED MY RADIO FREQ AND CONTACTED THEM. AT THIS TIME THE BLACKHAWK CREW INFORMED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE ADIZ AND INSTRUCTED ME TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT AND SHUT DOWN. AFTER ABOUT A 30 MIN INTERVIEW; THEY CLRED ME TO LEAVE PROVIDED I FILE A FLT PLAN WITH THE FSS AND RECEIVE A SQUAWK CODE TO FLY BACK TO FREDERICK; MD. IN ADDITION; I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL POTOMAC TRACON AND TALK WITH A SUPERVISOR. I COMPLIED WITH ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS AND MADE IT BACK TO FDK AROUND 1600 EST WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. I AM A RELATIVELY NEW PLT AND REALIZE WHERE I MADE MY MISTAKE. I WILL ENSURE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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