Flight penetrated restricted area 3401 while overflying area VFR.

Attributes
ACN	106979
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bak
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 2000
ASRS Report	106970
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a flight VFR, straight line, low altitude (6500') from greensboro, nc, to billings, mt (home base), I was notified by phone by FSS, ind, that I had flown into restr area #3401. R3401 is about 5 mi west of the city of columbus, in. The WAC shows only 1 airport, about 3 mi north of columbus. I observed that airport and a second airport within 1 mi east of columbus. The second airport is not shown on the WAC. The second airport appeared to have a concrete runway n-s ward with a full length concrete taxiway along the west side of the runway. See drawing. This second airport made the identify of columbus uncertain. However, I was north of columbus (?) 4-5 mi on a course of 305 degrees. This course should have made my flight path immediately north of R3401 or at least just inside the northeast corner of R3401. In our phone conversation I was asked if I had observed an F (?) military jet in the area. I answered that I had sighted 2 jets flying north to south across my nose. They were first noticed at about a 2 O'clock position and continued sward to a 9 O'clock position to out of sight. The problem: the second airport on the east of columbus made my navigation uncertain. I have checked older maps and cannot find this second airport either active or abandoned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT PENETRATED RESTRICTED AREA 3401 WHILE OVERFLYING AREA VFR.

Narrative: DURING A FLT VFR, STRAIGHT LINE, LOW ALT (6500') FROM GREENSBORO, NC, TO BILLINGS, MT (HOME BASE), I WAS NOTIFIED BY PHONE BY FSS, IND, THAT I HAD FLOWN INTO RESTR AREA #3401. R3401 IS ABOUT 5 MI W OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, IN. THE WAC SHOWS ONLY 1 ARPT, ABOUT 3 MI N OF COLUMBUS. I OBSERVED THAT ARPT AND A SECOND ARPT WITHIN 1 MI E OF COLUMBUS. THE SECOND ARPT IS NOT SHOWN ON THE WAC. THE SECOND ARPT APPEARED TO HAVE A CONCRETE RWY N-S WARD WITH A FULL LENGTH CONCRETE TXWY ALONG THE W SIDE OF THE RWY. SEE DRAWING. THIS SECOND ARPT MADE THE IDENT OF COLUMBUS UNCERTAIN. HOWEVER, I WAS N OF COLUMBUS (?) 4-5 MI ON A COURSE OF 305 DEGS. THIS COURSE SHOULD HAVE MADE MY FLT PATH IMMEDIATELY N OF R3401 OR AT LEAST JUST INSIDE THE NE CORNER OF R3401. IN OUR PHONE CONVERSATION I WAS ASKED IF I HAD OBSERVED AN F (?) MIL JET IN THE AREA. I ANSWERED THAT I HAD SIGHTED 2 JETS FLYING N TO S ACROSS MY NOSE. THEY WERE FIRST NOTICED AT ABOUT A 2 O'CLOCK POS AND CONTINUED SWARD TO A 9 O'CLOCK POS TO OUT OF SIGHT. THE PROB: THE SECOND ARPT ON THE E OF COLUMBUS MADE MY NAV UNCERTAIN. I HAVE CHKED OLDER MAPS AND CANNOT FIND THIS SECOND ARPT EITHER ACTIVE OR ABANDONED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.