Pilot enters arsa while attempting communication with the wrong ATC facility.

Attributes
ACN	119739
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 290
ASRS Report	119739
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed clarksburg, wv airport (ckb) on a VFR flight to huntington, wv (hts). Transponder code and the clarksburg controller confirmed that I was in radar contact. As I flew towards the charleston VORTAC I was expecting the clarksburg controller to tell me to switch to a charleston frequency. I monitored the clarksburg frequency continuously but heard no calls to my aircraft. As I got closer to charleston I became concerned that I may have lost contact with clarksburg so I made several calls to the clarksburg controller requesting a radio check. When I received no response I switched to the charleston approach frequency, gave my position, altitude and squawk code and advised them that I had been communicating with clarksburg but that communications seemed to have been lost. The charleston controller informed me that I had entered the charleston arsa without authorization. This surprised me because my recollection was that the requirement for entering an arsa is that prior 2-SAY radio communication be established with ATC and I considered that I had done this with the clarksburg controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERS ARSA WHILE ATTEMPTING COM WITH THE WRONG ATC FAC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED CLARKSBURG, WV ARPT (CKB) ON A VFR FLT TO HUNTINGTON, WV (HTS). XPONDER CODE AND THE CLARKSBURG CTLR CONFIRMED THAT I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT. AS I FLEW TOWARDS THE CHARLESTON VORTAC I WAS EXPECTING THE CLARKSBURG CTLR TO TELL ME TO SWITCH TO A CHARLESTON FREQ. I MONITORED THE CLARKSBURG FREQ CONTINUOUSLY BUT HEARD NO CALLS TO MY ACFT. AS I GOT CLOSER TO CHARLESTON I BECAME CONCERNED THAT I MAY HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH CLARKSBURG SO I MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO THE CLARKSBURG CTLR REQUESTING A RADIO CHECK. WHEN I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE I SWITCHED TO THE CHARLESTON APCH FREQ, GAVE MY POSITION, ALT AND SQUAWK CODE AND ADVISED THEM THAT I HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH CLARKSBURG BUT THAT COMS SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN LOST. THE CHARLESTON CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I HAD ENTERED THE CHARLESTON ARSA WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. THIS SURPRISED ME BECAUSE MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR ENTERING AN ARSA IS THAT PRIOR 2-SAY RADIO COM BE ESTABLISHED WITH ATC AND I CONSIDERED THAT I HAD DONE THIS WITH THE CLARKSBURG CTLR.

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.