Private pilot of a C172 inadvertently penetrated a prohibited area during an overflt through class B airspace. ATC intervened to correct the error, but used the wrong call sign prefix.

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Attributes
ACN	372044
Time
Date	199706
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca airport : daa
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	372044
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After departing daa, dca approach control cleared us into class B and assigned a heading of 040 degrees. We had a flight plan on file and also indicated our full call sign upon initial contact (rescue XXXX). A few mins later we realized ATC was calling us but had instead called us 'north-XXXX.' they were trying to steer us away from the eastern edge of p- 56 south (capitol/monument area) which was to our north. The frequency was busy and they must have called us a few times before we realized 'north-XXXX' was us. We immediately complied. The problem for us was that dca ATC 'changed' our call sign on the air delaying our response. Prevention: ATC may need to be more aware of our call sign and resist the temptation to call us 'november' which is not even our tail number. Note: our flight plan had both our complete call sign as well as our correct tail number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED A PROHIBITED AREA DURING AN OVERFLT THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE. ATC INTERVENED TO CORRECT THE ERROR, BUT USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN PREFIX.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING DAA, DCA APCH CTL CLRED US INTO CLASS B AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 040 DEGS. WE HAD A FLT PLAN ON FILE AND ALSO INDICATED OUR FULL CALL SIGN UPON INITIAL CONTACT (RESCUE XXXX). A FEW MINS LATER WE REALIZED ATC WAS CALLING US BUT HAD INSTEAD CALLED US 'N-XXXX.' THEY WERE TRYING TO STEER US AWAY FROM THE EASTERN EDGE OF P- 56 SOUTH (CAPITOL/MONUMENT AREA) WHICH WAS TO OUR N. THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND THEY MUST HAVE CALLED US A FEW TIMES BEFORE WE REALIZED 'N-XXXX' WAS US. WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. THE PROB FOR US WAS THAT DCA ATC 'CHANGED' OUR CALL SIGN ON THE AIR DELAYING OUR RESPONSE. PREVENTION: ATC MAY NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF OUR CALL SIGN AND RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO CALL US 'NOVEMBER' WHICH IS NOT EVEN OUR TAIL NUMBER. NOTE: OUR FLT PLAN HAD BOTH OUR COMPLETE CALL SIGN AS WELL AS OUR CORRECT TAIL NUMBER.

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.