Narrative:

During a sightseeing tour from dca I was asked to call the tower after landing. They took some information from me and said the secret service believed I entered P56A although they (dca) didn't see any violation. This was on a local sightseeing route I have flown over 100 times in addition to 3 yrs of extensive aerial photo work around the prohibited airspace. I am sure I did not violate the airspace. The tower indicated that there are many questions by newer members of the secret svcresponsible for guarding P56, about possible violations. I was told to expect a phone call from the secret service. However, airport police arrived within 30 mins and detained me until the secret service arrived approximately 20 mins later. The secret service asked me to explain what I believed occurred and I detailed how I reference the helicopter route chart and its landmarks to remain clear. They said that an agent on the roof of the old executive building visually spotted me over 17TH street within the boundaries of P56. I said how this could not have occurred, again using the helicopter route chart and street map to show my position and reference points used in order to stay clear. They would not say whether or not they had any radar tracking to support their agent's claim. After approximately 45 mins of questions they left. I then flew another trip around the city. I told them I believe the agent was mistaken due to the angle he was looking at me and that they may want to look for me again. Once again I was told to call the tower after landing. The tower said that they received another call stating they believed a violation of P56A had been made. The tower administrator said that according to dca's radar, I was clear of P56, although close to the edge. He said he relayed this to the secret service who did not contact me again. He asked that I increase the distance between me and P56 boundary which I said of course I would, in order to prevent any problems or questions as to my position. As far as I know the secret service is investigating and will contact the FAA. The secret service said I would have to use the freedom of information act to receive any of their forms or information regarding the incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT ON SIGHTSEEING TOUR IS ALLEGED TO HAVE ENTERED P56. SECRET SVC INVESTIGATE AND ON NEXT TRIP HE IS ONCE AGAIN ACCUSED OF ENTERING P56. DCA RADAR SHOWS HE DID NOT FLY INTO THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DURING A SIGHTSEEING TOUR FROM DCA I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE TWR AFTER LNDG. THEY TOOK SOME INFO FROM ME AND SAID THE SECRET SVC BELIEVED I ENTERED P56A ALTHOUGH THEY (DCA) DIDN'T SEE ANY VIOLATION. THIS WAS ON A LCL SIGHTSEEING RTE I HAVE FLOWN OVER 100 TIMES IN ADDITION TO 3 YRS OF EXTENSIVE AERIAL PHOTO WORK AROUND THE PROHIBITED AIRSPACE. I AM SURE I DID NOT VIOLATE THE AIRSPACE. THE TWR INDICATED THAT THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS BY NEWER MEMBERS OF THE secret svcRESPONSIBLE FOR GUARDING P56, ABOUT POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A PHONE CALL FROM THE SECRET SVC. HOWEVER, ARPT POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN 30 MINS AND DETAINED ME UNTIL THE SECRET SVC ARRIVED APPROX 20 MINS LATER. THE SECRET SVC ASKED ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT I BELIEVED OCCURRED AND I DETAILED HOW I REF THE HELI RTE CHART AND ITS LANDMARKS TO REMAIN CLR. THEY SAID THAT AN AGENT ON THE ROOF OF THE OLD EXECUTIVE BUILDING VISUALLY SPOTTED ME OVER 17TH STREET WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF P56. I SAID HOW THIS COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED, AGAIN USING THE HELI RTE CHART AND STREET MAP TO SHOW MY POS AND REF POINTS USED IN ORDER TO STAY CLR. THEY WOULD NOT SAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD ANY RADAR TRACKING TO SUPPORT THEIR AGENT'S CLAIM. AFTER APPROX 45 MINS OF QUESTIONS THEY LEFT. I THEN FLEW ANOTHER TRIP AROUND THE CITY. I TOLD THEM I BELIEVE THE AGENT WAS MISTAKEN DUE TO THE ANGLE HE WAS LOOKING AT ME AND THAT THEY MAY WANT TO LOOK FOR ME AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TWR AFTER LNDG. THE TWR SAID THAT THEY RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL STATING THEY BELIEVED A VIOLATION OF P56A HAD BEEN MADE. THE TWR ADMINISTRATOR SAID THAT ACCORDING TO DCA'S RADAR, I WAS CLR OF P56, ALTHOUGH CLOSE TO THE EDGE. HE SAID HE RELAYED THIS TO THE SECRET SVC WHO DID NOT CONTACT ME AGAIN. HE ASKED THAT I INCREASE THE DISTANCE BTWN ME AND P56 BOUNDARY WHICH I SAID OF COURSE I WOULD, IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY PROBS OR QUESTIONS AS TO MY POS. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE SECRET SVC IS INVESTIGATING AND WILL CONTACT THE FAA. THE SECRET SVC SAID I WOULD HAVE TO USE THE FREEDOM OF INFO ACT TO RECEIVE ANY OF THEIR FORMS OR INFO REGARDING THE INCIDENT.

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.