New C152 pilot nearly enters a restr area while conducting night flight operations.

Attributes
ACN	437950
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : r5001.restricted
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : acy.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 103 flight time type : 103
ASRS Report	437950
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sum: newly certificated private pilot after planning a night flight, narrowly misses flying through restr area R5001. He is not used to the big difference using visual reference techniques between daylight and nighttime conditions. Rather than guess, he asks for flight following assistance and receives same from more than one accommodating controller. As a follow up, he discusses the flight with his flight instructor and has a better understanding of the difficulties involved as well as some tools and training to deal with the difficulties in an effective manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW C152 PLT NEARLY ENTERS A RESTR AREA WHILE CONDUCTING NIGHT FLT OPS.

Narrative: IN SUM: NEWLY CERTIFICATED PVT PLT AFTER PLANNING A NIGHT FLT, NARROWLY MISSES FLYING THROUGH RESTR AREA R5001. HE IS NOT USED TO THE BIG DIFFERENCE USING VISUAL REF TECHNIQUES BTWN DAYLIGHT AND NIGHTTIME CONDITIONS. RATHER THAN GUESS, HE ASKS FOR FLT FOLLOWING ASSISTANCE AND RECEIVES SAME FROM MORE THAN ONE ACCOMMODATING CTLR. AS A FOLLOW UP, HE DISCUSSES THE FLT WITH HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR AND HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED AS WELL AS SOME TOOLS AND TRAINING TO DEAL WITH THE DIFFICULTIES IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER.

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.