UNAUTH AIRSPACE ENTRY WHEN A VFR C182 PVT PLT FAILS TO ADVISE PCT APCH CTLR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE AIRSPACE AT DC ADIZ; DC.
Synopsis
UNAUTH AIRSPACE ENTRY WHEN A VFR C182 PVT PLT FAILS TO ADVISE PCT APCH CTLR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE AIRSPACE AT DC ADIZ; DC.
Narrative
WE HAD FLOWN FROM BOSTON; MA (NORWOOD-OWD) TO FREDERICK; MD (FDK) ON THE MORNING OF OCT/SUN/03; IN MY PIPER ARCHER. WE USED FLT FOLLOWING AND ATC LED US AROUND THE NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA AREA WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON APCH TO FDK I CANCELED WITH POTOMAC APCH (125.52) AND LANDED. AFTER REFUELING WE TOOK OFF FROM FDK ON A COURSE OF 230 DEGS AND IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH (125.52) FOR FLT FOLLOWING. FDK IS LOCATED INSIDE THE 30 NM MODE C WASHINGTON DC AREA; AND MY PLAN WAS TO ESTABLISH FLT FOLLOWING BEFORE REACHING CLASS B AIRSPACE; CHANGE COURSE TO CHARLOTTESVILLE (CHO) DIRECT; AND REMAIN AT '0 -- BELOW 4400 FT' UNDER THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT. THE CTLR WAS BUSY; AND I CONTINUED TO TRY. FINALLY HE RESPONDED 'ACFT CALLING POTOMAC; TONE ONLY NO VOICE.' HAVING HAD PREVIOUS DIFFICULTY WITH RADIO XMISSION I IMMEDIATELY TURNED W; EXITED THE WASHINGTON AREA; AND THEN PROCEEDED TO CHO. I CALLED THE CHO TWR AT 20 MI AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AT 15 MI I CALLED ON MY HAND HELD RADIO WITH NO RESPONSE. AT 9 MI THE TWR OPERATOR ASKED ME TO 'IDENT' IF WISHING TO LAND. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TWR OPERATOR TOLD ME TO CALL POTOMAC APCH; WHICH I DID. THE NEXT MORNING WE PROCEEDED TO ATLANTA (FTY) WHERE THE PLANE IS BACK IN THE SHOP HAVING ITS RADIO REPAIRED. THE MAIN PROB WAS A FAULTY RADIO. IT IS POSSIBLE; BUT UNLIKELY; THAT I CLBED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE EXITING TO THE W; AND I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED WELL CLR OF; AND NOT UNDER; THE AIRSPACE UNTIL CONTACT WAS MADE. BOTH OF THE ABOVE WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE FUTURE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.