Small transport pilot inadvertently penetrated restr airspace surrounding three power plants.

Attributes
ACN	529210
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 57 flight time total : 14256 flight time type : 2752
ASRS Report	529210
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

I always file IFR to ensure that I do not violate restr airspace. On 11/sat/01, approximately at XA00 to XA45, I wanted to test the radios and autoplt. I flew from ZZZ1 airport to the ZZZ2 VOR then to ZZZ3 VOR. I made several trips between these two vors testing the VOR navigation, GPS, and autoplt. Returning to ZZZ1 the tower asked me to call center, which I did, and talked to mr X who advised me that I had violated a power plant restr airspace. The only power plant in the area that I knew of was ZZZ4. I have lived in the area all of my life and did not know that there were three power plants so close together. Several days earlier I flew IFR. There were no restrs at that time. Once I was aware of the other power plants in the area, I marked them on the sectional chart. After the september wtc attack, I obtained all material relating to restr areas, interception procedures, etc. If maps with these restr areas were highlighted and sent to the local airports and displayed, this incident would not have occurred. This is a suggestion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED RESTR AIRSPACE SURROUNDING THREE PWR PLANTS.

Narrative: I ALWAYS FILE IFR TO ENSURE THAT I DO NOT VIOLATE RESTR AIRSPACE. ON 11/SAT/01, APPROX AT XA00 TO XA45, I WANTED TO TEST THE RADIOS AND AUTOPLT. I FLEW FROM ZZZ1 ARPT TO THE ZZZ2 VOR THEN TO ZZZ3 VOR. I MADE SEVERAL TRIPS BETWEEN THESE TWO VORS TESTING THE VOR NAV, GPS, AND AUTOPLT. RETURNING TO ZZZ1 THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL CTR, WHICH I DID, AND TALKED TO MR X WHO ADVISED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED A PWR PLANT RESTR AIRSPACE. THE ONLY PWR PLANT IN THE AREA THAT I KNEW OF WAS ZZZ4. I HAVE LIVED IN THE AREA ALL OF MY LIFE AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WERE THREE PWR PLANTS SO CLOSE TOGETHER. SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER I FLEW IFR. THERE WERE NO RESTRS AT THAT TIME. ONCE I WAS AWARE OF THE OTHER PWR PLANTS IN THE AREA, I MARKED THEM ON THE SECTIONAL CHART. AFTER THE SEPTEMBER WTC ATTACK, I OBTAINED ALL MATERIAL RELATING TO RESTR AREAS, INTERCEPTION PROCS, ETC. IF MAPS WITH THESE RESTR AREAS WERE HIGHLIGHTED AND SENT TO THE LOCAL ARPTS AND DISPLAYED, THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THIS IS A SUGGESTION.

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.