Narrative:

While on routine patrol approximately 20 mi ssw of dulles airport, at an zlt of 500' AGL I experienced what I first perceived as a high side governor failure. I immediately climbed to an altitude of approximately 1000' AGL. In an attempt to keep the N2 power turbine down to within limits the engine out light and audio came on along with engine reignition, both repeatedly. After further investigation of the problem I determined it was an electrical malfunction and elected to proceed back to baltimore for maintenance. At this point I tuned mtn airport in the LORAN, turned to the desired heading and climbed to 1500' MSL. I then contacted dulles approach on the designated frequency. I was then given a squawk on the transponder and after radar contact was established I was informed I was in the quantico restr area 6608A and was informed that on my present heading would exit said area in four mi. At this time I turned to a westerly heading to expedite my exit, feeling I was just barely on the edge. After informing me I was clear of the restr area, approach then asked for my last name, home base of aircraft and gave me a number to call upon reaching my destination, of which I did all the above. I patrolled down the west side of that restr area twice a week, know where it is, and remain clear at all times, however, in lieu of the preceeding chain of events, I was preoccupied with my own safety and the well being of the aircraft and accidentally penetrated restr area 6608A.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF HELICOPTER CRUISING ON PATROL AT 500' AGL HAD ENGINE PROBLEM. DISTR OF COPING WITH PROBLEM AND CLIMBING TO SAFER ALT CAUSE PLT TO ENTER R6608A. WAS ADVISED WHEN CONTACT WITH IAD APCH CTL, EXITED AREA PROMPTLY, RETURNED TO MARTIN ARPT, BAL, MD, FOR MAINTENANCE.

Narrative: WHILE ON ROUTINE PATROL APPROX 20 MI SSW OF DULLES ARPT, AT AN ZLT OF 500' AGL I EXPERIENCED WHAT I FIRST PERCEIVED AS A HIGH SIDE GOVERNOR FAILURE. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO AN ALT OF APPROX 1000' AGL. IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE N2 PWR TURBINE DOWN TO WITHIN LIMITS THE ENG OUT LIGHT AND AUDIO CAME ON ALONG WITH ENG REIGNITION, BOTH REPEATEDLY. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE PROB I DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AND ELECTED TO PROCEED BACK TO BALTIMORE FOR MAINT. AT THIS POINT I TUNED MTN ARPT IN THE LORAN, TURNED TO THE DESIRED HDG AND CLBED TO 1500' MSL. I THEN CONTACTED DULLES APCH ON THE DESIGNATED FREQ. I WAS THEN GIVEN A SQUAWK ON THE XPONDER AND AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED I WAS INFORMED I WAS IN THE QUANTICO RESTR AREA 6608A AND WAS INFORMED THAT ON MY PRESENT HDG WOULD EXIT SAID AREA IN FOUR MI. AT THIS TIME I TURNED TO A WESTERLY HDG TO EXPEDITE MY EXIT, FEELING I WAS JUST BARELY ON THE EDGE. AFTER INFORMING ME I WAS CLR OF THE RESTR AREA, APCH THEN ASKED FOR MY LAST NAME, HOME BASE OF ACFT AND GAVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL UPON REACHING MY DEST, OF WHICH I DID ALL THE ABOVE. I PATROLLED DOWN THE W SIDE OF THAT RESTR AREA TWICE A WK, KNOW WHERE IT IS, AND REMAIN CLR AT ALL TIMES, HOWEVER, IN LIEU OF THE PRECEEDING CHAIN OF EVENTS, I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH MY OWN SAFETY AND THE WELL BEING OF THE ACFT AND ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED RESTR AREA 6608A.

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.