Narrative:

Flying a power line patrol close to ground, into fairbanks. Arriving at the end of power line, approximately 3 NM northwest of airport, discovered entry into class D airspace without establishing 2-WAY communication. At low level flight inside valley, with no visual reference to fairbanks, not familiar with terrain. At the time, navigating by GPS to identify airspace. The GPS is set up when selecting the city of fairbanks to track to the airport by mistake, GPS idented eielson AFB (eil) at present position, 20 NM distance. Completion of power line check, climbing out to establish communication, discovered distance to airport approximately 3 NM. Descended back to valley, tracking northbound outside the airspace, then contacted fairbanks ATC. Poor decision not to double-check the GPS. Customer information not accurate at time. Poor judgement and performance, due to first day of work with the company. Pressure on new hires to perform well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PWR LINE PLT ENTERED FAIRBANKS, AK CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH THE TWR.

Narrative: FLYING A PWR LINE PATROL CLOSE TO GND, INTO FAIRBANKS. ARRIVING AT THE END OF PWR LINE, APPROX 3 NM NW OF ARPT, DISCOVERED ENTRY INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COM. AT LOW LEVEL FLT INSIDE VALLEY, WITH NO VISUAL REF TO FAIRBANKS, NOT FAMILIAR WITH TERRAIN. AT THE TIME, NAVING BY GPS TO IDENT AIRSPACE. THE GPS IS SET UP WHEN SELECTING THE CITY OF FAIRBANKS TO TRACK TO THE ARPT BY MISTAKE, GPS IDENTED EIELSON AFB (EIL) AT PRESENT POS, 20 NM DISTANCE. COMPLETION OF PWR LINE CHK, CLBING OUT TO ESTABLISH COM, DISCOVERED DISTANCE TO ARPT APPROX 3 NM. DSNDED BACK TO VALLEY, TRACKING NBOUND OUTSIDE THE AIRSPACE, THEN CONTACTED FAIRBANKS ATC. POOR DECISION NOT TO DOUBLE-CHK THE GPS. CUSTOMER INFO NOT ACCURATE AT TIME. POOR JUDGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE, DUE TO FIRST DAY OF WORK WITH THE COMPANY. PRESSURE ON NEW HIRES TO PERFORM WELL.

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.