A C177 pilot violated the restr airspace involving a research center.

Attributes
ACN	529494
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 331.8 flight time type : 51.6
ASRS Report	529494
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed ZZZ airport on nov/tue/01 somewhere between XA30-XB00 local time. It was a VFR flight to ZZZ1 near ZZZ2. As I climbed out of ZZZ towards the east I needed to climb as fast as possible to avoid mountain terrain. However a cessna 177 cardinal does not have a great climb performance so as I climbed I meandered around the peaks to gain altitude. When I was out of ZZZ local airport area I switched to ZZZ3 TRACON. The radio traffic was such that I could not get a transmission in edgeways. For safety I wanted to get to at least 5000 ft on my way to 5500 ft to finish clearing any mountains in the area. I had tuned into the ZZZ4 VORTAC, but was not yet receiving a clear signal. I needed to know what radial I was on so I could stay out of the tfr that was 9 miles east of ZZZ4. By now I was nearing that eastern edge of the mountains and the western edge of the valley. Also now receiving a clear VOR signal from ZZZ VORTAC. It was now to the best of my recollection to be around XB30 local time. I mentioned to my passenger that it looked like ZZZ4 off a little ways to our left. I said that I did not know exactly where the tfr was, but I will contact ZZZ4 approach to make sure I was clear of the tfr, as the ZZZ4 VORTAC radial I was on I was afraid I might have penetrated the tfr. ZZZ4 approach confirmed my fears, I was in the tfr. ZZZ4 approach told me to turn immediately to 040 degrees, which I did. I offered to turn even more if that would help me to exit the tfr quicker. He emphatically reiterated to turn to 040 degrees as directed, which I had already done. The rest of the flight to ZZZ1 was quite peaceful with the great assistance of both ZZZ4 approach and ZZZ5 approach controls. I might add that this was the first major flight I have taken since all the new rules have gone into effect. It was definitely a new and learning experience for me. I did not intentionally fly into the tfr. It was due to meandering around the mountains to avoid a collision with rising terrain. I tend to error on the side of caution and safety. When directed to turn to the heading I did so immediately and even offered more if it would help. The tfr coordinates were not given exactly, but only given by generality. I took the tfr area to be area ZZZ which I thought I was south of when I cleared the mountains.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177 PLT VIOLATED THE RESTR AIRSPACE INVOLVING A RESEARCH CTR.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT ON NOV/TUE/01 SOMEWHERE BETWEEN XA30-XB00 LCL TIME. IT WAS A VFR FLT TO ZZZ1 NEAR ZZZ2. AS I CLBED OUT OF ZZZ TOWARDS THE E I NEEDED TO CLB AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. HOWEVER A CESSNA 177 CARDINAL DOES NOT HAVE A GREAT CLB PERFORMANCE SO AS I CLBED I MEANDERED AROUND THE PEAKS TO GAIN ALT. WHEN I WAS OUT OF ZZZ LCL ARPT AREA I SWITCHED TO ZZZ3 TRACON. THE RADIO TFC WAS SUCH THAT I COULD NOT GET A XMISSION IN EDGEWAYS. FOR SAFETY I WANTED TO GET TO AT LEAST 5000 FT ON MY WAY TO 5500 FT TO FINISH CLRING ANY MOUNTAINS IN THE AREA. I HAD TUNED INTO THE ZZZ4 VORTAC, BUT WAS NOT YET RECEIVING A CLR SIGNAL. I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT RADIAL I WAS ON SO I COULD STAY OUT OF THE TFR THAT WAS 9 MILES E OF ZZZ4. BY NOW I WAS NEARING THAT EASTERN EDGE OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE VALLEY. ALSO NOW RECEIVING A CLR VOR SIGNAL FROM ZZZ VORTAC. IT WAS NOW TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION TO BE AROUND XB30 LCL TIME. I MENTIONED TO MY PAX THAT IT LOOKED LIKE ZZZ4 OFF A LITTLE WAYS TO OUR LEFT. I SAID THAT I DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE TFR WAS, BUT I WILL CONTACT ZZZ4 APCH TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLR OF THE TFR, AS THE ZZZ4 VORTAC RADIAL I WAS ON I WAS AFRAID I MIGHT HAVE PENETRATED THE TFR. ZZZ4 APCH CONFIRMED MY FEARS, I WAS IN THE TFR. ZZZ4 APCH TOLD ME TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO 040 DEGS, WHICH I DID. I OFFERED TO TURN EVEN MORE IF THAT WOULD HELP ME TO EXIT THE TFR QUICKER. HE EMPHATICALLY REITERATED TO TURN TO 040 DEGS AS DIRECTED, WHICH I HAD ALREADY DONE. THE REST OF THE FLT TO ZZZ1 WAS QUITE PEACEFUL WITH THE GREAT ASSISTANCE OF BOTH ZZZ4 APCH AND ZZZ5 APCH CTLS. I MIGHT ADD THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST MAJOR FLT I HAVE TAKEN SINCE ALL THE NEW RULES HAVE GONE INTO EFFECT. IT WAS DEFINITELY A NEW AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY FLY INTO THE TFR. IT WAS DUE TO MEANDERING AROUND THE MOUNTAINS TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH RISING TERRAIN. I TEND TO ERROR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND SAFETY. WHEN DIRECTED TO TURN TO THE HDG I DID SO IMMEDIATELY AND EVEN OFFERED MORE IF IT WOULD HELP. THE TFR COORDINATES WERE NOT GIVEN EXACTLY, BUT ONLY GIVEN BY GENERALITY. I TOOK THE TFR AREA TO BE AREA ZZZ WHICH I THOUGHT I WAS S OF WHEN I CLRED THE MOUNTAINS.

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.