GA pilot attempting to circumnavigate arsa becomes disoriented and penetrates without contact.

Attributes
ACN	158343
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bwi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 785 flight time type : 780
ASRS Report	158343
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My plane is based on the southwest side of the bwi arsa. My flight was on the west side, where I am not familiar with the land marks. I was just wrong. I was planning to fly under the arsa at 1200'. I am happy to report that I have installed a transponder with encoder as required for planes in my area and that it was working like it should. The person at the FAA office at bwi that I talked with on the phone said that the ATC was routing traffic around me as I pass through their airspace at 1200'. I was using a sectional at the time. It's not good enough. After the event I went out and bought a terminal chart and that isn't much better. I am putting the rings of airspace on a local road map so I really know where I am, or better still where I am not. I am also in the process of replacing my 90 channel radio with a new 220.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ATTEMPTING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE ARSA BECOMES DISORIENTED AND PENETRATES WITHOUT CONTACT.

Narrative: MY PLANE IS BASED ON THE SW SIDE OF THE BWI ARSA. MY FLT WAS ON THE W SIDE, WHERE I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAND MARKS. I WAS JUST WRONG. I WAS PLANNING TO FLY UNDER THE ARSA AT 1200'. I AM HAPPY TO RPT THAT I HAVE INSTALLED A XPONDER WITH ENCODER AS REQUIRED FOR PLANES IN MY AREA AND THAT IT WAS WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD. THE PERSON AT THE FAA OFFICE AT BWI THAT I TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE SAID THAT THE ATC WAS RTING TFC AROUND ME AS I PASS THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE AT 1200'. I WAS USING A SECTIONAL AT THE TIME. IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. AFTER THE EVENT I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A TERMINAL CHART AND THAT ISN'T MUCH BETTER. I AM PUTTING THE RINGS OF AIRSPACE ON A LCL ROAD MAP SO I REALLY KNOW WHERE I AM, OR BETTER STILL WHERE I AM NOT. I AM ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING MY 90 CHANNEL RADIO WITH A NEW 220.

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.