Narrative:

Jun/xx/96 VFR flight -- napa, ca, to elko, nv, to cheyenne, wy. I had originally flight planned an IFR flight from napa, ca, to cheyenne, wy. When I called FSS to check on the WX they reported clear skies all the way. The first leg of the trip was from napa to elko, nv, and was just beautiful. It was still beautiful when I took off from elko so I thought maybe I would go direct to cheyenne rather than continue on V6. I glanced at the WAC chart, noticed the lucin MOA that I was going to pass through and then my attention was drawn to the slc class B airspace. I was at 13500 ft so would be above it, then thought I should probably call them anyway and let them know that I wanted to overfly their airspace. I looked at the WAC chart for an approach frequency but couldn't find one. I became absorbed in finding a frequency for contacting slc approach and since my WAC chart didn't have it, I put it aside. I contacted slc approach and received flight following while above the class B airspace. Once past class B the controller suggested going around on the way back since it was a busy place. I told him that I would (and did go around it on the way back). I thought I had handled everything well until I got a call from the FAA asking if my airplane was near slc on jun/xx/96 -- I was stunned. I got out my WAC chart and there it was -- R6404A. I hadn't differentiated between the lucin MOA and the restr airspace. What could have prevented the problem? Now with a few hours to do nothing but think about it, I realize that this is probably why the adage, 'plan your flight and fly your plan.' that would have prevented it. Additionally, if I secured flight following that could have prevented it. Moreover, the next time I plan a flight I will not only use a marker to outline my flight, I'll also use another color to draw attention to any restr or sua so that it stands out at a glance. Beyond that, I would treat the decision to go direct as a revision to my flight plan and line it out on the chart. Obviously a quick glance was not sufficient. I will also activate the airspace alert on my GPS when flying through unfamiliar airspace. The bad news is that I got absorbed in the activity of contacting slc approach before I properly reviewed the impact of my flight plan change. The good news is that I know how to avoid a repetition. I particularly like the idea of marking nearby restr areas on my chart.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT CHANGES FLT PLAN ENRTE AND ENTERS RESTR AREA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: JUN/XX/96 VFR FLT -- NAPA, CA, TO ELKO, NV, TO CHEYENNE, WY. I HAD ORIGINALLY FLT PLANNED AN IFR FLT FROM NAPA, CA, TO CHEYENNE, WY. WHEN I CALLED FSS TO CHK ON THE WX THEY RPTED CLR SKIES ALL THE WAY. THE FIRST LEG OF THE TRIP WAS FROM NAPA TO ELKO, NV, AND WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS STILL BEAUTIFUL WHEN I TOOK OFF FROM ELKO SO I THOUGHT MAYBE I WOULD GO DIRECT TO CHEYENNE RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON V6. I GLANCED AT THE WAC CHART, NOTICED THE LUCIN MOA THAT I WAS GOING TO PASS THROUGH AND THEN MY ATTN WAS DRAWN TO THE SLC CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS AT 13500 FT SO WOULD BE ABOVE IT, THEN THOUGHT I SHOULD PROBABLY CALL THEM ANYWAY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I WANTED TO OVERFLY THEIR AIRSPACE. I LOOKED AT THE WAC CHART FOR AN APCH FREQ BUT COULDN'T FIND ONE. I BECAME ABSORBED IN FINDING A FREQ FOR CONTACTING SLC APCH AND SINCE MY WAC CHART DIDN'T HAVE IT, I PUT IT ASIDE. I CONTACTED SLC APCH AND RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING WHILE ABOVE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. ONCE PAST CLASS B THE CTLR SUGGESTED GOING AROUND ON THE WAY BACK SINCE IT WAS A BUSY PLACE. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD (AND DID GO AROUND IT ON THE WAY BACK). I THOUGHT I HAD HANDLED EVERYTHING WELL UNTIL I GOT A CALL FROM THE FAA ASKING IF MY AIRPLANE WAS NEAR SLC ON JUN/XX/96 -- I WAS STUNNED. I GOT OUT MY WAC CHART AND THERE IT WAS -- R6404A. I HADN'T DIFFERENTIATED BTWN THE LUCIN MOA AND THE RESTR AIRSPACE. WHAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB? NOW WITH A FEW HRS TO DO NOTHING BUT THINK ABOUT IT, I REALIZE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY WHY THE ADAGE, 'PLAN YOUR FLT AND FLY YOUR PLAN.' THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED IT. ADDITIONALLY, IF I SECURED FLT FOLLOWING THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT. MOREOVER, THE NEXT TIME I PLAN A FLT I WILL NOT ONLY USE A MARKER TO OUTLINE MY FLT, I'LL ALSO USE ANOTHER COLOR TO DRAW ATTN TO ANY RESTR OR SUA SO THAT IT STANDS OUT AT A GLANCE. BEYOND THAT, I WOULD TREAT THE DECISION TO GO DIRECT AS A REVISION TO MY FLT PLAN AND LINE IT OUT ON THE CHART. OBVIOUSLY A QUICK GLANCE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. I WILL ALSO ACTIVATE THE AIRSPACE ALERT ON MY GPS WHEN FLYING THROUGH UNFAMILIAR AIRSPACE. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT I GOT ABSORBED IN THE ACTIVITY OF CONTACTING SLC APCH BEFORE I PROPERLY REVIEWED THE IMPACT OF MY FLT PLAN CHANGE. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I KNOW HOW TO AVOID A REPETITION. I PARTICULARLY LIKE THE IDEA OF MARKING NEARBY RESTR AREAS ON MY CHART.

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.