An MU2 atx pilot is given a last min clearance from N90 controller through the class D airspace of h...

Attributes
ACN	488870
Time
Date	200010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	MU-2
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : vfr enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	488870
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed frg in an MU2 under part 91 and VFR off of runway 1. Before departure, I asked the ground controller to set up flight following to luk. He took my information and said new york departure would be ready for me. Tower advised me to maintain 1600 ft MSL and cleared me for takeoff on runway 1 and told me to contact departure. I called departure as instructed and in a rude tone he said he was unable to give advisories. I then navigated to outte intersection and turned wbound while trying to talk to new york departure. Finally I found a new york controller who would give me advisories. I reported that I was level 1600 ft MSL 20 mi east of nyack intersection. He then told me to identify and assigned a squawk code, then reported he had me in radar contact. The whole time I was looking at the chart to remain clear of all the airspace. The controller then verified my altitude and asked me if I knew that I just flew through westchester county's class D airspace. I replied by saying that I believed I was north of the airspace. He had me identify again and gave me a clearance through the class D airspace and to climb VFR on course to 16500 ft. Just before he handed me to center, I asked him if I needed to make a phone call when I landed in luk. He said no, and that no one had complained and not to worry about it. Just after he told me that I penetrated the class D airspace, I went back to the chart and moved my hand. Turns out my finger was covering the airport marking resulting in my thinking that I was further north than actual. The remainder of the flight went without further incident. They need controllers to watch over the VFR guys, not just IFR traffic because they think they're busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MU2 ATX PLT IS GIVEN A LAST MIN CLRNC FROM N90 CTLR THROUGH THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF HPN DURING HIS LOW ALT VFR FLT FROM FMG TOWARDS LUK, WHEN 4 MI S OF HPN, NY.

Narrative: I DEPARTED FRG IN AN MU2 UNDER PART 91 AND VFR OFF OF RWY 1. BEFORE DEP, I ASKED THE GND CTLR TO SET UP FLT FOLLOWING TO LUK. HE TOOK MY INFO AND SAID NEW YORK DEP WOULD BE READY FOR ME. TWR ADVISED ME TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT MSL AND CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 1 AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT DEP. I CALLED DEP AS INSTRUCTED AND IN A RUDE TONE HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE ADVISORIES. I THEN NAVIGATED TO OUTTE INTXN AND TURNED WBOUND WHILE TRYING TO TALK TO NEW YORK DEP. FINALLY I FOUND A NEW YORK CTLR WHO WOULD GIVE ME ADVISORIES. I RPTED THAT I WAS LEVEL 1600 FT MSL 20 MI E OF NYACK INTXN. HE THEN TOLD ME TO IDENT AND ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE, THEN RPTED HE HAD ME IN RADAR CONTACT. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LOOKING AT THE CHART TO REMAIN CLR OF ALL THE AIRSPACE. THE CTLR THEN VERIFIED MY ALT AND ASKED ME IF I KNEW THAT I JUST FLEW THROUGH WESTCHESTER COUNTY'S CLASS D AIRSPACE. I REPLIED BY SAYING THAT I BELIEVED I WAS N OF THE AIRSPACE. HE HAD ME IDENT AGAIN AND GAVE ME A CLRNC THROUGH THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND TO CLB VFR ON COURSE TO 16500 FT. JUST BEFORE HE HANDED ME TO CTR, I ASKED HIM IF I NEEDED TO MAKE A PHONE CALL WHEN I LANDED IN LUK. HE SAID NO, AND THAT NO ONE HAD COMPLAINED AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. JUST AFTER HE TOLD ME THAT I PENETRATED THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, I WENT BACK TO THE CHART AND MOVED MY HAND. TURNS OUT MY FINGER WAS COVERING THE ARPT MARKING RESULTING IN MY THINKING THAT I WAS FURTHER N THAN ACTUAL. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WENT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THEY NEED CTLRS TO WATCH OVER THE VFR GUYS, NOT JUST IFR TFC BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE BUSY.

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.

An MU2 atx pilot is given a last min clearance from N90 controller through the class D airspace of hpn during his low altitude VFR flight from fmg towards luk, when 4 mi south of hpn, ny.