Small aircraft pilot enters restr area on cross country flight.

Attributes
ACN	247116
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lcu
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc artcc : zhn
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	247116
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My wife and I departed san carlos, ca (sql) on a VFR flight to muskoka, canada (yqa). The first leg was to terminate at ogden, ut, for lunch and fuel. The WX across nevada was scattered clouds and in order to maintain VFR, I was not navigating on the airway. I was using LORAN along with VOR. After wells, nv, and passing the light terrain, the WX cleared and I was on an intercept heading to the airway as I knew that restr areas lay ahead. I thought that I was following the road bed across the great salt lake which I knew would be clear of the restr areas. I mistook the train embankment for the road bed and upon recognizing the mistake, I immediately turned toward lucin VOR (lcv) which would be north of R-6040. As I turned, the LORAN notified me that I was within the restr area. I flew to lcv then direct to ogden. Upon landing the tower asked me to call hill air force tower and I was advised that I encroached upon R-6040. My mistake was not to have contacted salt lake approach and asked for vectors around the restr area. A contributing factor was that I had some concern as to the location of the salt lake TCA. I regret this mistake as it is the first in 20 yrs of flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS RESTR AREA ON XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED SAN CARLOS, CA (SQL) ON A VFR FLT TO MUSKOKA, CANADA (YQA). THE FIRST LEG WAS TO TERMINATE AT OGDEN, UT, FOR LUNCH AND FUEL. THE WX ACROSS NEVADA WAS SCATTERED CLOUDS AND IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR, I WAS NOT NAVING ON THE AIRWAY. I WAS USING LORAN ALONG WITH VOR. AFTER WELLS, NV, AND PASSING THE LIGHT TERRAIN, THE WX CLRED AND I WAS ON AN INTERCEPT HDG TO THE AIRWAY AS I KNEW THAT RESTR AREAS LAY AHEAD. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS FOLLOWING THE ROAD BED ACROSS THE GREAT SALT LAKE WHICH I KNEW WOULD BE CLR OF THE RESTR AREAS. I MISTOOK THE TRAIN EMBANKMENT FOR THE ROAD BED AND UPON RECOGNIZING THE MISTAKE, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD LUCIN VOR (LCV) WHICH WOULD BE N OF R-6040. AS I TURNED, THE LORAN NOTIFIED ME THAT I WAS WITHIN THE RESTR AREA. I FLEW TO LCV THEN DIRECT TO OGDEN. UPON LNDG THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL HILL AIR FORCE TWR AND I WAS ADVISED THAT I ENCROACHED UPON R-6040. MY MISTAKE WAS NOT TO HAVE CONTACTED SALT LAKE APCH AND ASKED FOR VECTORS AROUND THE RESTR AREA. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT I HAD SOME CONCERN AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE SALT LAKE TCA. I REGRET THIS MISTAKE AS IT IS THE FIRST IN 20 YRS OF FLYING.

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.