Narrative:

Prior to departure on planned flight originating helsinki, finland to grootfontein, namibia, I questioned flight dispatch to assure me that all overflt permits were obtained. They were hesitant to respond. When I pursued this question I was told that the previous flight made it. When I stated that I would not proceed west/O the pertinent overflt permits, the V.P. Of operations got on the phone and threatened me with the termination of my job if I would not proceed. Having overflt for the first several hours of the flight, I proceeded. Once airborne I contacted my company on HF and asked repeatedly that they, 'reevaluate the V.P. Operation's decision to enter their (sudanese) airspace west/O approval.' I was assured the company was pursuing this. Just short of the sudanese border I was denied entry (no permit). I refiled international waters (red sea) to ethiopian, then tanzanian airspace. Upon entry to lusaka, zambia control, I was asked for my permit #. I replied that they should contact my company in north.Y. They advised me to descend to 10000' MSL immediately and land lusaka. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states, 'the lusaka military met us upon landing and admonished me for entering the zone west/O a valid permit. Apparently they reported to us FAA, as I have received a letter of investigation. Have heard that my company is being investigated and they are scrambling to get the state department to help them out of their predicament. I am under threat of being fired for the incident.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLT PENETRATED ZAMBIA ZONE OF ATC WITHOUT PROPER PERMITS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP ON PLANNED FLT ORIGINATING HELSINKI, FINLAND TO GROOTFONTEIN, NAMIBIA, I QUESTIONED FLT DISPATCH TO ASSURE ME THAT ALL OVERFLT PERMITS WERE OBTAINED. THEY WERE HESITANT TO RESPOND. WHEN I PURSUED THIS QUESTION I WAS TOLD THAT THE PREVIOUS FLT MADE IT. WHEN I STATED THAT I WOULD NOT PROCEED W/O THE PERTINENT OVERFLT PERMITS, THE V.P. OF OPS GOT ON THE PHONE AND THREATENED ME WITH THE TERMINATION OF MY JOB IF I WOULD NOT PROCEED. HAVING OVERFLT FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL HRS OF THE FLT, I PROCEEDED. ONCE AIRBORNE I CONTACTED MY COMPANY ON HF AND ASKED REPEATEDLY THAT THEY, 'REEVALUATE THE V.P. OP'S DECISION TO ENTER THEIR (SUDANESE) AIRSPACE W/O APPROVAL.' I WAS ASSURED THE COMPANY WAS PURSUING THIS. JUST SHORT OF THE SUDANESE BORDER I WAS DENIED ENTRY (NO PERMIT). I REFILED INTL WATERS (RED SEA) TO ETHIOPIAN, THEN TANZANIAN AIRSPACE. UPON ENTRY TO LUSAKA, ZAMBIA CTL, I WAS ASKED FOR MY PERMIT #. I REPLIED THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT MY COMPANY IN N.Y. THEY ADVISED ME TO DSND TO 10000' MSL IMMEDIATELY AND LAND LUSAKA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES, 'THE LUSAKA MIL MET US UPON LNDG AND ADMONISHED ME FOR ENTERING THE ZONE W/O A VALID PERMIT. APPARENTLY THEY RPTED TO U.S. FAA, AS I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION. HAVE HEARD THAT MY COMPANY IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND THEY ARE SCRAMBLING TO GET THE STATE DEPT TO HELP THEM OUT OF THEIR PREDICAMENT. I AM UNDER THREAT OF BEING FIRED FOR THE INCIDENT.'

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.