Pilot of small aircraft toured grand canyon below free flight altitude.

Attributes
ACN	126910
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gcn
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 14500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1150 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	126910
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
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 gcn airport VFR with a left downwind departure from runway 21. Before departure I checked the 42ND edition of las vegas sectional chart for minimum altitude to maintain for flight over grand canyon VFR to las vegas. I did not study the chart in the detail I should have. I missed the no free flight below 14,500 MSL in upper left-hand legend of special flight rules area inset chart. I thought the minimum altitude (MSL) was 10,000' in eastern section of grand canyon and 10,500' north of gcn airport. I climbed directly to 10,500 MSL and made 2-3 turns in the zuni corridor area before turning to a west heading direct to las vegas, nv. In the area of dragon corridor I contacted ZLA for flight following and was told I was about to enter a non-free flying area and was given a vector to the south to avoid. After the vector to the south I reviewed the sectional chart and saw I should have been at 14,500 MSL for the area zuni corridor to dragon corridor. I felt the VFR inset was not clear on minimum VFR altitude to maintain. Although the information is there if you are careful to study it. I was using the sectional chart folded to the gcn area. This gives no information on actual areas on non-free flying or minimum altitudes. The accidental penetration in my case would have been caught by myself if more information had been on actual chart area used during flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TOURED GRAND CANYON BELOW FREE FLT ALT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED GCN ARPT VFR WITH A LEFT DOWNWIND DEP FROM RWY 21. BEFORE DEP I CHECKED THE 42ND EDITION OF LAS VEGAS SECTIONAL CHART FOR MINIMUM ALT TO MAINTAIN FOR FLT OVER GRAND CANYON VFR TO LAS VEGAS. I DID NOT STUDY THE CHART IN THE DETAIL I SHOULD HAVE. I MISSED THE NO FREE FLT BELOW 14,500 MSL IN UPPER LEFT-HAND LEGEND OF SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA INSET CHART. I THOUGHT THE MINIMUM ALT (MSL) WAS 10,000' IN EASTERN SECTION OF GRAND CANYON AND 10,500' NORTH OF GCN ARPT. I CLIMBED DIRECTLY TO 10,500 MSL AND MADE 2-3 TURNS IN THE ZUNI CORRIDOR AREA BEFORE TURNING TO A WEST HDG DIRECT TO LAS VEGAS, NV. IN THE AREA OF DRAGON CORRIDOR I CONTACTED ZLA FOR FLT FOLLOWING AND WAS TOLD I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER A NON-FREE FLYING AREA AND WAS GIVEN A VECTOR TO THE SOUTH TO AVOID. AFTER THE VECTOR TO THE SOUTH I REVIEWED THE SECTIONAL CHART AND SAW I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 14,500 MSL FOR THE AREA ZUNI CORRIDOR TO DRAGON CORRIDOR. I FELT THE VFR INSET WAS NOT CLEAR ON MINIMUM VFR ALT TO MAINTAIN. ALTHOUGH THE INFO IS THERE IF YOU ARE CAREFUL TO STUDY IT. I WAS USING THE SECTIONAL CHART FOLDED TO THE GCN AREA. THIS GIVES NO INFO ON ACTUAL AREAS ON NON-FREE FLYING OR MINIMUM ALTS. THE ACCIDENTAL PENETRATION IN MY CASE WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY MYSELF IF MORE INFO HAD BEEN ON ACTUAL CHART AREA USED DURING FLT.

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.