Small aircraft penetrates an ADIZ without a flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	346840
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	346840
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed key west airport for a 2 hour flight to the dry tortugas and back. As I was approaching key west, 2 military jets came along side, one fired 4 flares. I tuned in boca chica NAS, was given a phone number to call to make a report. I am a newly certified pilot, and received some confusing and contradictory information about the ADIZ and the free zone depicted in the airport facilities directory. I mistook the key west free zone to include the dry tortugas. I have read the details in the airport facilities directory and see that the tortugas are excluded. I certainly would have filed DVFR flight plan if I thought it was required. If you look at the keys, our entire area is within the ADIZ. If the 'free zone' was marked on the sectional chart instead of a fuzzy picture in the airport facilities directory, it would be much clrer at a glance to know where which line was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PENETRATES AN ADIZ WITHOUT A FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I DEPARTED KEY WEST ARPT FOR A 2 HR FLT TO THE DRY TORTUGAS AND BACK. AS I WAS APCHING KEY WEST, 2 MIL JETS CAME ALONG SIDE, ONE FIRED 4 FLARES. I TUNED IN BOCA CHICA NAS, WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TO MAKE A RPT. I AM A NEWLY CERTIFIED PLT, AND RECEIVED SOME CONFUSING AND CONTRADICTORY INFO ABOUT THE ADIZ AND THE FREE ZONE DEPICTED IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY. I MISTOOK THE KEY WEST FREE ZONE TO INCLUDE THE DRY TORTUGAS. I HAVE READ THE DETAILS IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY AND SEE THAT THE TORTUGAS ARE EXCLUDED. I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE FILED DVFR FLT PLAN IF I THOUGHT IT WAS REQUIRED. IF YOU LOOK AT THE KEYS, OUR ENTIRE AREA IS WITHIN THE ADIZ. IF THE 'FREE ZONE' WAS MARKED ON THE SECTIONAL CHART INSTEAD OF A FUZZY PICTURE IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY, IT WOULD BE MUCH CLRER AT A GLANCE TO KNOW WHERE WHICH LINE WAS.

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.