2003-07 · NASA ASRS report 587386
C210 PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERS BWI DCA ADIZ WHILE TRANSITING TO DEST.
DEPARTED FDK (W OF BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON CLASS B/ADIZ) HEADED TO 3W3 (KENTMORR AIRPARK ON E SIDE OF CLASS B/ADIZ). ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH POTOMAC APCH ON 128.7 (PUBLISHED ON THE CHART). AFTER SEVERAL CALLS; FINALLY RESPONDED. I INFORMED CTLR I WAS BOUND FOR 3W3 AND REQUESTED CLASS B CLRNC AND XPONDER CODE FOR ADIZ. CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT APCH ON 126.75. WHEN I SWITCHED TO NEW FREQ; THERE WAS TOTAL CONGESTION; AS IT WAS A NICE SATURDAY AND MANY ACFT WERE REQUESTING ADIZ CLRNCS. I MADE A 180 DEG TURN AWAY FROM ADIZ AND ORBITED OVER AREA OUTSIDE IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT CONTACT. ARPT CALLS WERE MET WITH; 'EVERYBODY STANDBY AND REMAIN CLR OF ADIZ/CLASS B;' FROM ATC. THE CTLR SOUNDED INEXPERIENCED AND WAS CLEARLY HAVING DIFFICULTY KEEPING TRACK OF SIT. AFTER APPROX 15 TO 20 MINS OF ORBITING; I MADE CONTACT AND WAS ISSUED XPONDER CODE; AND CLRED INTO ADIZ. BEFORE REACHING DEST; ATC ASKED FOR A PHONE WHEN I ARRIVED. ONCE ON GND; I PHONED ATC. CTLR SAID I VIOLATED ADIZ. I RESPOND THAT I ORBITED OUTSIDE OF ADIZ DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION UNTIL BOTH CONTACT ESTABLISHED AND CLRNC RECEIVED. HE RESPONDED THAT MATTER WOULD BE REVIEWED. I THINK THE ADIZ REQUIREMENT IS A FEDERAL TRAVESTY THAT CREATES AN UNDUE BURDEN ON PLTS AND CTLRS; ALL SO THE GOV CAN HAVE THE ILLUSION OF SECURITY. NEITHER SAFETY NOR SECURITY ARE ENHANCED BY THIS REQUIREMENT. THE ATC SYS ISN'T SET UP TO HANDLE THE VOLUME OF TFC CREATED BY THIS NEW CLRNC IMPOSITION. BY DESIGN; ANOTHER TRAP HAS BEEN SET FOR PLTS THAT IS WHOLLY UNNECESSARY. IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE PHONED IN FOR A CODE BEFORE DEPARTING THE NON-TWRED ARPT. HOWEVER; IT WAS NEVER NECESSARY ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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