<< >> NASA ASRS Report 524868, September 2001

An 'small aircraft' pilot while flying a VFR final at destination was informed by an IFR pilot of the VFR restr.

Attributes
ACN	524868
Time
Date	200109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sem.airport
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	524868
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had seen many GA aircraft flying over my house and assumed that the airspace restr had been lifted. I flew to sanford, me. When on final an instrument flight advised that only IFR traffic was allowed. I returned to home base immediately and on arrival home called burlington flight service and told them about my inadvertent incursion into VFR flight. The problem arose because I incorrectly assumed from observing several GA flts that the restrs had been lifted. I discovered the problem when an IFR pilot informed me. I immediately returned to base and informed burlington flight service of the incident. Contributing factors were that I had not need to call flight service for a short local flight and I fly from an uncontrolled airstrip with only occasional communication with other pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN 'SMA' PLT WHILE FLYING A VFR FINAL AT DEST WAS INFORMED BY AN IFR PLT OF THE VFR RESTR.

Narrative: I HAD SEEN MANY GA ACFT FLYING OVER MY HOUSE AND ASSUMED THAT THE AIRSPACE RESTR HAD BEEN LIFTED. I FLEW TO SANFORD, ME. WHEN ON FINAL AN INSTRUMENT FLT ADVISED THAT ONLY IFR TFC WAS ALLOWED. I RETURNED TO HOME BASE IMMEDIATELY AND ON ARR HOME CALLED BURLINGTON FLT SERVICE AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY INADVERTENT INCURSION INTO VFR FLT. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE I INCORRECTLY ASSUMED FROM OBSERVING SEVERAL GA FLTS THAT THE RESTRS HAD BEEN LIFTED. I DISCOVERED THE PROB WHEN AN IFR PLT INFORMED ME. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO BASE AND INFORMED BURLINGTON FLT SERVICE OF THE INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT I HAD NOT NEED TO CALL FLT SERVICE FOR A SHORT LOCAL FLT AND I FLY FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRSTRIP WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL COM WITH OTHER PLTS.

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.