Narrative:

The problem arose while en route to mrb VOR. After takeoff from cxy, the harrisburg departure controller gave me vectors to a heading off of my route of flight due to incoming traffic.I remained on this heading for a considerable amount of time. While climbing to my prescribed altitude, I began having difficulty receiving the mbr/VOR signal. Also, I encountered a low-level cloud layer at approximately 3000' MSL. After receiving clearance to turn back onto my on-course heading, I began plotting a new course to intercept the original flight route. This was extremely difficult due to the poor VOR reception and the loss of visibility contact with the ground, having encountered low-level clouds. While flying this new heading to intercept the original course my small aircraft began developing some carburetor ice, which further aggravated the current flight conditions. I remained on the harrisburg departure control frequency to listen for other traffic reports in the area. At this point in time I didn't know I was flying anywhere near the prohibited airspace. The flight was completed west/O incident until I landed at lyh, where I was contacted by naval intelligence and informed of the violation. Also, upon being contacted by the FAA, it was brought to my attention that I was flying with an expired medical certificate. It was never my intention to fly with an expired certificate, and my only explanation for not having it renewed is I looked at the month of my birth date and mistook it for the month of my expiration date. I knew the medical certificate was to expire soon, but I thought it was valid until the end of march. Through this situation, I've learned the importance of being a more responsible and conscientious pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME SMA PLT PENETRATES A PROHIBITED AREA. FLYING WITH EXPIRED MEDICAL.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHILE ENRTE TO MRB VOR. AFTER TKOF FROM CXY, THE HARRISBURG DEP CTLR GAVE ME VECTORS TO A HDG OFF OF MY RTE OF FLT DUE TO INCOMING TFC.I REMAINED ON THIS HDG FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. WHILE CLBING TO MY PRESCRIBED ALT, I BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY RECEIVING THE MBR/VOR SIGNAL. ALSO, I ENCOUNTERED A LOW-LEVEL CLOUD LAYER AT APPROX 3000' MSL. AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO TURN BACK ONTO MY ON-COURSE HDG, I BEGAN PLOTTING A NEW COURSE TO INTERCEPT THE ORIGINAL FLT RTE. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE POOR VOR RECEPTION AND THE LOSS OF VIS CONTACT WITH THE GND, HAVING ENCOUNTERED LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS. WHILE FLYING THIS NEW HDG TO INTERCEPT THE ORIGINAL COURSE MY SMA BEGAN DEVELOPING SOME CARB ICE, WHICH FURTHER AGGRAVATED THE CURRENT FLT CONDITIONS. I REMAINED ON THE HARRISBURG DEP CTL FREQ TO LISTEN FOR OTHER TFC RPTS IN THE AREA. AT THIS POINT IN TIME I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS FLYING ANYWHERE NEAR THE PROHIBITED AIRSPACE. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED W/O INCIDENT UNTIL I LANDED AT LYH, WHERE I WAS CONTACTED BY NAVAL INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMED OF THE VIOLATION. ALSO, UPON BEING CONTACTED BY THE FAA, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT I WAS FLYING WITH AN EXPIRED MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION TO FLY WITH AN EXPIRED CERTIFICATE, AND MY ONLY EXPLANATION FOR NOT HAVING IT RENEWED IS I LOOKED AT THE MONTH OF MY BIRTH DATE AND MISTOOK IT FOR THE MONTH OF MY EXPIRATION DATE. I KNEW THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS TO EXPIRE SOON, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS VALID UNTIL THE END OF MARCH. THROUGH THIS SITUATION, I'VE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A MORE RESPONSIBLE AND CONSCIENTIOUS PLT.

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.