C172 pilot repeatedly entered a prohibited area. He was only questioned by ATC once.

Attributes
ACN	531726
Time
Date	200111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : zzz.prohibited
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 998 flight time type : 990
ASRS Report	531726
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from ZZZ2 to ZZZ3, I inadvertently got too close to ZZZ. I knew the area had been expanded since 09/tue/01, but thought it was to X diameter, not radius. One contributing factor was a quartering tailwind that pushed us in that direction also. After landing at ZZZ3, I was told to contact ZZZ4, and was informed I had violated ZZZ. Another contributing factor was that 2 times in the past since 09/tue/01, I had flown the same approximately (almost exact) route and back and now that I have drawn a X mi radius circle around ZZZ, can see that I must have violated ZZZ all 4 times I went through that area. But no one contacted me on any of those flts, so that reinforced my misconception that it was only X mi diameter. Now that my chart shows the X mi radius, I can certainly avoid the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT REPEATEDLY ENTERED A PROHIBITED AREA. HE WAS ONLY QUESTIONED BY ATC ONCE.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ3, I INADVERTENTLY GOT TOO CLOSE TO ZZZ. I KNEW THE AREA HAD BEEN EXPANDED SINCE 09/TUE/01, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS TO X DIAMETER, NOT RADIUS. ONE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS A QUARTERING TAILWIND THAT PUSHED US IN THAT DIRECTION ALSO. AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ3, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT ZZZ4, AND WAS INFORMED I HAD VIOLATED ZZZ. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT 2 TIMES IN THE PAST SINCE 09/TUE/01, I HAD FLOWN THE SAME APPROX (ALMOST EXACT) RTE AND BACK AND NOW THAT I HAVE DRAWN A X MI RADIUS CIRCLE AROUND ZZZ, CAN SEE THAT I MUST HAVE VIOLATED ZZZ ALL 4 TIMES I WENT THROUGH THAT AREA. BUT NO ONE CONTACTED ME ON ANY OF THOSE FLTS, SO THAT REINFORCED MY MISCONCEPTION THAT IT WAS ONLY X MI DIAMETER. NOW THAT MY CHART SHOWS THE X MI RADIUS, I CAN CERTAINLY AVOID THE AREA.

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.