A C172 pilot believes he penetrated the military airspace by carswell AFB in texas.

Attributes
ACN	416330
Time
Date	199810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ttt airport : f55
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
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 : 16 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 96
ASRS Report	416330
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On oct/xa/98 I took off from granbury, tx, (F55) for 1 hour of training in a rented C172. My intention was to perform some touch-and-go lndgs at cleburne, tx. I had been to cleburne with an instructor about 18 months prior to this date. The sector map shows a lake near the airport. Prior to takeoff, I lined up with the runway and set the directional gyro. After climb out, the gyro still was not agreeing with the magnetic compass. The correctional knob was not releasing the instrument. I set it the second time with no results. Then I used the hand-held GPS and set it for F18, the airport symbol for cleburne airport. It was a very bright day, and it was very difficult to read the GPS screen. So I set up the moving map which is easier to follow. I followed the moving map to an airport with a lake close by. I called cleburne unicom and was informed that they were using runway 33 with a left approach. There were no aircraft in the pattern. I completed 4 touch-and-go lndgs following the procedure of announcing the downwind, base and final on each landing using frequency 122.8. I left the pattern and returned to granbury using the GPS. The problem is using the GPS without xchking against other system (magnetic compass or vors). I am not sure whether I entered the incorrect symbol or the GPS malfunctioned. I had no intention of violating military airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT BELIEVES HE PENETRATED THE MIL AIRSPACE BY CARSWELL AFB IN TEXAS.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/98 I TOOK OFF FROM GRANBURY, TX, (F55) FOR 1 HR OF TRAINING IN A RENTED C172. MY INTENTION WAS TO PERFORM SOME TOUCH-AND-GO LNDGS AT CLEBURNE, TX. I HAD BEEN TO CLEBURNE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS DATE. THE SECTOR MAP SHOWS A LAKE NEAR THE ARPT. PRIOR TO TKOF, I LINED UP WITH THE RWY AND SET THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO. AFTER CLBOUT, THE GYRO STILL WAS NOT AGREEING WITH THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. THE CORRECTIONAL KNOB WAS NOT RELEASING THE INST. I SET IT THE SECOND TIME WITH NO RESULTS. THEN I USED THE HAND-HELD GPS AND SET IT FOR F18, THE ARPT SYMBOL FOR CLEBURNE ARPT. IT WAS A VERY BRIGHT DAY, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO READ THE GPS SCREEN. SO I SET UP THE MOVING MAP WHICH IS EASIER TO FOLLOW. I FOLLOWED THE MOVING MAP TO AN ARPT WITH A LAKE CLOSE BY. I CALLED CLEBURNE UNICOM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE USING RWY 33 WITH A L APCH. THERE WERE NO ACFT IN THE PATTERN. I COMPLETED 4 TOUCH-AND-GO LNDGS FOLLOWING THE PROC OF ANNOUNCING THE DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL ON EACH LNDG USING FREQ 122.8. I LEFT THE PATTERN AND RETURNED TO GRANBURY USING THE GPS. THE PROB IS USING THE GPS WITHOUT XCHKING AGAINST OTHER SYS (MAGNETIC COMPASS OR VORS). I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I ENTERED THE INCORRECT SYMBOL OR THE GPS MALFUNCTIONED. I HAD NO INTENTION OF VIOLATING MIL AIRSPACE.

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.