Small aircraft on search and rescue mission assigned a squawk code which is later assigned to anothe...

Attributes
ACN	334458
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hrt
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : egi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 458 flight time type : 255
ASRS Report	334458
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I flew a civil air patrol mission in the eglin reservation. I contacted ATC on the ground at field #2 prior to takeoff. (On the new orleans sectional it is called eglin test site C3.) I told ATC that I wanted to search an area north of fort walton beach and hurlburt field. I was not told of any problems with my request and was given a squawk code. They knew that I would be in restr airspace. I departed and flew south in the corridor to the coastline. I switched to unicom and reported that I was transitioning by destination airport, then one problem arose. Another civil air patrol aircraft departed the same field about 15 mins after I did, and I heard him contact ATC. The problem was that ATC gave him the same squawk code that I had. I realize now that I probably should have told ATC about the mistake, but I thought that ATC would surely find the mistake and correct his squawk code. I continued along the coast and switched to hurlburt tower for transition. Once clear of hurlburt I switched back to ATC. I then went north and entered R-2915B, and was never told not to enter restr airspace. ATC knew that I would be there, for 20 mins earlier I had told them. I went further north and entered r- 2915A. I flew and searched for about 15 mins. ATC then announced over the radio for the aircraft with my squawk code to call them. ATC obviously lost me due to the squawk code error. I called ATC and they told me to fly east, immediately to depart restr airspace. The next time I talked to ATC it was a different controller. The last one was obviously replaced because of the mistake. The biggest problem was the squawk code mistake and the fact that it was also a very busy day. I feel ATC was responsible because they knew that I would be in restr airspace. What I will do different next time is to make absolutely sure that I am cleared into restr airspace. We are all human here and are going to make mistakes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE WHICH IS LATER ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER ACFT AS WELL. PLT ENTERS RESTR AREA WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: I FLEW A CIVIL AIR PATROL MISSION IN THE EGLIN RESERVATION. I CONTACTED ATC ON THE GND AT FIELD #2 PRIOR TO TKOF. (ON THE NEW ORLEANS SECTIONAL IT IS CALLED EGLIN TEST SITE C3.) I TOLD ATC THAT I WANTED TO SEARCH AN AREA N OF FORT WALTON BEACH AND HURLBURT FIELD. I WAS NOT TOLD OF ANY PROBS WITH MY REQUEST AND WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE. THEY KNEW THAT I WOULD BE IN RESTR AIRSPACE. I DEPARTED AND FLEW S IN THE CORRIDOR TO THE COASTLINE. I SWITCHED TO UNICOM AND RPTED THAT I WAS TRANSITIONING BY DEST ARPT, THEN ONE PROB AROSE. ANOTHER CIVIL AIR PATROL ACFT DEPARTED THE SAME FIELD ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER I DID, AND I HEARD HIM CONTACT ATC. THE PROB WAS THAT ATC GAVE HIM THE SAME SQUAWK CODE THAT I HAD. I REALIZE NOW THAT I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TOLD ATC ABOUT THE MISTAKE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT ATC WOULD SURELY FIND THE MISTAKE AND CORRECT HIS SQUAWK CODE. I CONTINUED ALONG THE COAST AND SWITCHED TO HURLBURT TWR FOR TRANSITION. ONCE CLR OF HURLBURT I SWITCHED BACK TO ATC. I THEN WENT N AND ENTERED R-2915B, AND WAS NEVER TOLD NOT TO ENTER RESTR AIRSPACE. ATC KNEW THAT I WOULD BE THERE, FOR 20 MINS EARLIER I HAD TOLD THEM. I WENT FURTHER N AND ENTERED R- 2915A. I FLEW AND SEARCHED FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. ATC THEN ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO FOR THE ACFT WITH MY SQUAWK CODE TO CALL THEM. ATC OBVIOUSLY LOST ME DUE TO THE SQUAWK CODE ERROR. I CALLED ATC AND THEY TOLD ME TO FLY E, IMMEDIATELY TO DEPART RESTR AIRSPACE. THE NEXT TIME I TALKED TO ATC IT WAS A DIFFERENT CTLR. THE LAST ONE WAS OBVIOUSLY REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE MISTAKE. THE BIGGEST PROB WAS THE SQUAWK CODE MISTAKE AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALSO A VERY BUSY DAY. I FEEL ATC WAS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT I WOULD BE IN RESTR AIRSPACE. WHAT I WILL DO DIFFERENT NEXT TIME IS TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT I AM CLRED INTO RESTR AIRSPACE. WE ARE ALL HUMAN HERE AND ARE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES.

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.

Small aircraft on search and rescue mission assigned a squawk code which is later assigned to another aircraft as well. Pilot enters restr area without proper clearance.