ATP flying may have inadvertently entered R-5206.

Attributes
ACN	439780
Time
Date	199906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	439780
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Navigating VFR, from swf to hpn, on a dark, moonless night, I was attempting to follow the hudson river past west point to avoid R-5206. Due to the absence of lighting or moonlight on the water, I may have steered too far to the west and penetrated R-5206. Upon noticing that the river was to my east, I proceeded directly to it and continued to hpn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATP FLYING MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED R-5206.

Narrative: NAVING VFR, FROM SWF TO HPN, ON A DARK, MOONLESS NIGHT, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW THE HUDSON RIVER PAST WEST POINT TO AVOID R-5206. DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF LIGHTING OR MOONLIGHT ON THE WATER, I MAY HAVE STEERED TOO FAR TO THE W AND PENETRATED R-5206. UPON NOTICING THAT THE RIVER WAS TO MY E, I PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO IT AND CONTINUED TO HPN.

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.