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Unauthorized air traffic area penetration occurs as low experience level pilot chooses wrong altitude to fly.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 138660 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199003 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gcn |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : gcn |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 509 flight time type : 225 |
| ASRS Report | 138660 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Approached gcn from the south en route to pga under VFR conditions. Ceiling was 10000', so was flying at 8500'. Low level clouds covered grand canyon area. Decided not to go to pga due to probable IFR there. Planned to turn to pgs at gcn VOR. As I approached the VOR (3.6 DME) I noticed I was inside the air traffic area, which extended to 9600'. I immediately turned west to vacate the air traffic area, initiating a climb. Turned off mode C as I was afraid of being traced. I headed west in a panic, then realized I was probably below the gcn sfr minimum altitude of 10000'. Initiated a climb to 10000' and entered airspace above 10000' with mode C off. Realizing this I turned south to leave sfr area and descended back below 10000'. This happened because I was not in normal VFR conditions and was preoccupied with staying VFR below 10000' layer and was trying to assess flight route. Because of current adversarial FAA attitude, I was afraid to contact gcn tower. This would have been the safe and proper course of action. Solution is to continually check altitude, position and heading, regardless of other tasks. FAA should not unduly penalize unintended intrusion as pilot may flee rather than do the safe thing and immediately call in on realizing his error.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: UNAUTH ATA PENETRATION OCCURS AS LOW EXPERIENCE LEVEL PLT CHOOSES WRONG ALT TO FLY.
Narrative: APCHED GCN FROM THE S ENRTE TO PGA UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. CEILING WAS 10000', SO WAS FLYING AT 8500'. LOW LEVEL CLOUDS COVERED GRAND CANYON AREA. DECIDED NOT TO GO TO PGA DUE TO PROBABLE IFR THERE. PLANNED TO TURN TO PGS AT GCN VOR. AS I APCHED THE VOR (3.6 DME) I NOTICED I WAS INSIDE THE ATA, WHICH EXTENDED TO 9600'. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED W TO VACATE THE ATA, INITIATING A CLB. TURNED OFF MODE C AS I WAS AFRAID OF BEING TRACED. I HEADED W IN A PANIC, THEN REALIZED I WAS PROBABLY BELOW THE GCN SFR MINIMUM ALT OF 10000'. INITIATED A CLB TO 10000' AND ENTERED AIRSPACE ABOVE 10000' WITH MODE C OFF. REALIZING THIS I TURNED S TO LEAVE SFR AREA AND DSNDED BACK BELOW 10000'. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN NORMAL VFR CONDITIONS AND WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH STAYING VFR BELOW 10000' LAYER AND WAS TRYING TO ASSESS FLT RTE. BECAUSE OF CURRENT ADVERSARIAL FAA ATTITUDE, I WAS AFRAID TO CONTACT GCN TWR. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAFE AND PROPER COURSE OF ACTION. SOLUTION IS TO CONTINUALLY CHK ALT, POS AND HDG, REGARDLESS OF OTHER TASKS. FAA SHOULD NOT UNDULY PENALIZE UNINTENDED INTRUSION AS PLT MAY FLEE RATHER THAN DO THE SAFE THING AND IMMEDIATELY CALL IN ON REALIZING HIS ERROR.
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.