GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	137533
Time
Date	199002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tracon : bwi tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	137533
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 2/90 I was on my way to dca VFR, and approaching phillips VOR from the northeast. There was a solid overcast at about 7500' and I was at 6500'. Ahead of me was a heavy rain shower and I turned left to avoid it. At this time I contacted baltimore approach as indicated on the sectional and was advised that I had strayed into a restr area (4001 a or B). Baltimore vectored me through the restr area and passed me along to washington approach. On the approach to dca the control tower was providing vectors to the airport. After landing I was told to call the tower where they said I had entered prohibited airspace even though I had been following the controller's directions carefully. While this trip was made VFR it would have been better IFR. Unfortunately I was unable to make a reservation for an IFR arrival. I am an instrument rated pilot and the trip was made observing all cloud clearance and visibility requirements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON 2/90 I WAS ON MY WAY TO DCA VFR, AND APCHING PHILLIPS VOR FROM THE NE. THERE WAS A SOLID OVCST AT ABOUT 7500' AND I WAS AT 6500'. AHEAD OF ME WAS A HEAVY RAIN SHOWER AND I TURNED L TO AVOID IT. AT THIS TIME I CONTACTED BALTIMORE APCH AS INDICATED ON THE SECTIONAL AND WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD STRAYED INTO A RESTR AREA (4001 A OR B). BALTIMORE VECTORED ME THROUGH THE RESTR AREA AND PASSED ME ALONG TO WASHINGTON APCH. ON THE APCH TO DCA THE CTL TWR WAS PROVIDING VECTORS TO THE ARPT. AFTER LNDG I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TWR WHERE THEY SAID I HAD ENTERED PROHIBITED AIRSPACE EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE CTLR'S DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. WHILE THIS TRIP WAS MADE VFR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IFR. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A RESERVATION FOR AN IFR ARR. I AM AN INSTRUMENT RATED PLT AND THE TRIP WAS MADE OBSERVING ALL CLOUD CLRNC AND VIS REQUIREMENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.