A low time cfii, based out of pfn, violated pfn class D airspace.

Attributes
ACN	450125
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pfn.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gnv.tracon tower : pfn.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 430 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	450125
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was scheduled to take a customer in a C152 on an aerial photography shoot on sep/xa/99. I am a flight instructor at panama city, bay county international municipal airport. We departed pfn, class D airspace, to the east where the customer wished to take photographs. I was told by tower to switch frequencys to tyndall approach when about 4 mi out. I monitored approach frequency, and the customer took photos in this area (about 4 mi east of pfn). Visually, I estimated my position as being about 4 mi, although I had no DME to confirm this. Upon returning to pfn, the tower informed me I had violated their airspace. I did not realize that pfn extended 5 mi from the airport. Rather, I thought it extended only 4 mi, as many class D airports do. This airspace violation could have been prevented if tower did not ask me to switch frequencys until I was clear of their airspace, as telling me to switch frequencys at the 4 mi point meant to me that I was clear of the class D airspace. Also, the sectional should give radii of airspace, as it is unclr. This would more clearly define the dimensions of airspace. Being at 500 ft AGL, I thought I was in class G airspace, where no radio call would have been necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME CFII, BASED OUT OF PFN, VIOLATED PFN CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE A CUSTOMER IN A C152 ON AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT ON SEP/XA/99. I AM A FLT INSTRUCTOR AT PANAMA CITY, BAY COUNTY INTL MUNICIPAL ARPT. WE DEPARTED PFN, CLASS D AIRSPACE, TO THE E WHERE THE CUSTOMER WISHED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. I WAS TOLD BY TWR TO SWITCH FREQS TO TYNDALL APCH WHEN ABOUT 4 MI OUT. I MONITORED APCH FREQ, AND THE CUSTOMER TOOK PHOTOS IN THIS AREA (ABOUT 4 MI E OF PFN). VISUALLY, I ESTIMATED MY POS AS BEING ABOUT 4 MI, ALTHOUGH I HAD NO DME TO CONFIRM THIS. UPON RETURNING TO PFN, THE TWR INFORMED ME I HAD VIOLATED THEIR AIRSPACE. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT PFN EXTENDED 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. RATHER, I THOUGHT IT EXTENDED ONLY 4 MI, AS MANY CLASS D ARPTS DO. THIS AIRSPACE VIOLATION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF TWR DID NOT ASK ME TO SWITCH FREQS UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THEIR AIRSPACE, AS TELLING ME TO SWITCH FREQS AT THE 4 MI POINT MEANT TO ME THAT I WAS CLR OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. ALSO, THE SECTIONAL SHOULD GIVE RADII OF AIRSPACE, AS IT IS UNCLR. THIS WOULD MORE CLRLY DEFINE THE DIMENSIONS OF AIRSPACE. BEING AT 500 FT AGL, I THOUGHT I WAS IN CLASS G AIRSPACE, WHERE NO RADIO CALL WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY.

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.