Cargo charter aircraft enters arsa without ATC contact.

Attributes
ACN	181039
Time
Date	199106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	181039
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from ykm to sff, I was inbound on Y120 at 7500'. I was looking at a low altitude en route chart for radials and frequencys instead of sectional chart, and did not notice the arsa depicted in blue which blends in. Having flown in that area only occasionally and only on IFR flight plans, I was not aware of the arsa. At about 10 NM from the VOR, I descended to 5500', being careful to stay above geg's air traffic area, and proceeded to the VOR then direct sff. About halfway between the VOR and felts field, I contacted sff tower for landing instructions. They asked me if I had just come in from over the VOR. When I said yes, they told me to contact geg approach because I was in the arsa. At that time I contacted approach and continued to sff and landed. Felts ground control asked me to contact geg approach by request on the phone. After a discussion, they told me there were no traffic conflicts, but they would inform the FAA that I entered the arsa west/O 2-WAY radio communications. Had I been using the VFR sectional, I would have noticed the arsa and the note for VFR traffic to contact approach 20 mi out, therefore establishing 2-WAY radio communications before entering the arsa.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO CHARTER ACFT ENTERS ARSA WITHOUT ATC CONTACT.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM YKM TO SFF, I WAS INBND ON Y120 AT 7500'. I WAS LOOKING AT A LOW ALT ENRTE CHART FOR RADIALS AND FREQS INSTEAD OF SECTIONAL CHART, AND DID NOT NOTICE THE ARSA DEPICTED IN BLUE WHICH BLENDS IN. HAVING FLOWN IN THAT AREA ONLY OCCASIONALLY AND ONLY ON IFR FLT PLANS, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ARSA. AT ABOUT 10 NM FROM THE VOR, I DSNDED TO 5500', BEING CAREFUL TO STAY ABOVE GEG'S ATA, AND PROCEEDED TO THE VOR THEN DIRECT SFF. ABOUT HALFWAY BTWN THE VOR AND FELTS FIELD, I CONTACTED SFF TWR FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. THEY ASKED ME IF I HAD JUST COME IN FROM OVER THE VOR. WHEN I SAID YES, THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT GEG APCH BECAUSE I WAS IN THE ARSA. AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED APCH AND CONTINUED TO SFF AND LANDED. FELTS GND CTL ASKED ME TO CONTACT GEG APCH BY REQUEST ON THE PHONE. AFTER A DISCUSSION, THEY TOLD ME THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS, BUT THEY WOULD INFORM THE FAA THAT I ENTERED THE ARSA W/O 2-WAY RADIO COMS. HAD I BEEN USING THE VFR SECTIONAL, I WOULD HAVE NOTICED THE ARSA AND THE NOTE FOR VFR TFC TO CONTACT APCH 20 MI OUT, THEREFORE ESTABLISHING 2-WAY RADIO COMS BEFORE ENTERING THE ARSA.

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.