GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE DCA TCA.

Date: 1988-07 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE DCA TCA.

Narrative

I DEPARTED COLLEGE PARK; MD; IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF TSTM. DULLES ARPT CLOSED IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER BECAUSE OF THE STORM. I DEPARTED RWY 15; IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT/HDG BUG ON A HDG OF 150 DEGS. SET UP A CLB OF 500 FPM AND MADE MY RADIO CALLS CLRING THE PATTERN FROM COLLEGE PARK. PASSING THROUGH 500' MSL; I CONTACTED THE LAST ATC CTLR I HAD USED UPON ARRIVING AT COLLEGE PARK FOR MY NEW DEP INSTRUCTIONS. THAT CTLR WAS DULLES; WHO UPON ASCERTAINING THAT I NEEDED TO FLY SE AWAY FROM THE STORM; ADVISED I CALL DCA APCH CTL. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED DCA DEP CTL (NOW AT ABOUT 900' MSL) AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD BY THE CTLR THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE TRSA. AT THE TIME OF HIS STATEMENT ABOUT PENETRATION; I WAS LEVELING AT 1000' AND STILL ON A HDG OF 150 DEGS OFF OF COLLEGE PARK. AT HIS INSTRUCTIONS; I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS AND MAINTAINED 1000'. THE CTLR CONTACTED ME AGAIN SOON WITH FURTHER CLRNC; CLRED ME INTO THE TRSA AND AGAIN ADVISED ME THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE TRSA. DUE TO THE HECTIC WX AND TFC SITUATION; I DID NOT ARGUE WITH THE CTLR AND SIMPLY ACCEPTED HIS DIRECTIONS. MY PLANNED FLT PLAN WAS TO CLB TO 1000'; STRAIGHT OUT ON 150 DEGS; AND THEN TURN LEFT ON AN EASTERLY HDG TO AVOID ENTERING THE 1500' CEILING OF THE TRSA. I EXECUTED THAT PLAN ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE AND CONSEQUENTLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I COULD HAVE ENTERED THE TRSA. I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS MISTAKEN IN HIS STATEMENT THAT I HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE TRSA. CONSIDERING THE TIME IT TAKES AN SMA TO CLB TO 1000'; AND THE GND DISTANCE TRAVELED IN THAT ELAPSED TIME; I DO NOT SEE HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE ENTERED THE TRSA. AT THE TIME THE CTLR ADVISED ME THAT I HAD ENTERED THE TRSA; I IMMEDIATELY LOCATED ANDREWS AIRFIELD AT MY 1:30 POS. I WAS ON ABOUT A 330 DEG BEARING FROM ANDREWS. IF YOU EXTEND THE CENTER LINE OF THE ANDREWS AIRFIELD RWY TO WHERE IT INTERSECTS THE CENTER LINE EXTENTION OF RWY 150 FROM COLLEGE PARK; ONE COULD FLY ON A 150 DEG HDG OUT OF COLLEGE PARK ALL THE WAY TO THE POINT WHERE THOSE EXTENDED RWYS WOULD INTERSECT AND STILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE TRSA ACCORDING TO MY MAPS. CONSEQUENTLY; IF I HAVE NOT YET REACHED THE IMAGINARY POINT OF THOSE EXTENDED RWYS INTERSECTING; I MUST BE EVEN FURTHER OUTSIDE THE TRSA. I BELIEVE THE HECTIC WX SITUATION AND CONGESTED TFC IN WASHINGTON CAUSED THE CTLR TO BE A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN NORMAL. I WAS USING MY MODE C TRANSPONDER FROM THE TIME OF MY INITIAL LIFT OFF FROM COLLEGE PARK.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.