Class D airspace incursion by a private pilot in a PA28 on an afternoon at bed, ma.

Attributes
ACN	539005
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bed.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bed.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : bed.tower
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 : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 235 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	539005
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

One afternoon I flew a PA28 at hanscom field, bedford, ma (bed) for the purpose of practicing touch and goes at the airport. By the time I taxied into the #1 position for takeoff, the pattern had gotten extremely busy and the tower said that they were unable to accept traffic for touch and goes. I decided to take off to the west (the active runway was runway 29) out of the airport's control, circle to the north, and re-enter for a landing. Approximately 9 mi to the north at a local reporting point, I listened to the current ATIS, switched to the bed tower frequency and called the tower announcing my intentions for a landing with the ATIS information. The frequency was still extremely busy with numerous conversations stepping over each other. I had to call a number of times before I heard what I thought was the tower acknowledging my call. He also announced that due to the traffic, he could not acknowledge all calls to the tower and that people should report in as they entered the pattern. I continued on to the airport and descended to pattern altitude. I also reported my position at approximately 3.5 mi out (GPS), but due to the radio traffic, did not expect a reply. I announced my position again as I entered the pattern at mid-field downwind for the runway. At this time the tower advised me that he had not acknowledged my call and that I had entered the airspace without permission and should return to the north reporting point and call in again. I returned to the north reporting point, got the new ATIS, called the tower, and was cleared to enter the pattern and land. The pattern was still extremely busy and, due to the traffic and setting sun (causing visibility problems due to the runway 29 location), traffic would occasionally get confusing and sequencing was challenging. Occasionally aircraft and tower would loose the sequencing and tempers would get frayed. I landed without any further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLASS D AIRSPACE INCURSION BY A PVT PLT IN A PA28 ON AN AFTERNOON AT BED, MA.

Narrative: ONE AFTERNOON I FLEW A PA28 AT HANSCOM FIELD, BEDFORD, MA (BED) FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES AT THE ARPT. BY THE TIME I TAXIED INTO THE #1 POS FOR TKOF, THE PATTERN HAD GOTTEN EXTREMELY BUSY AND THE TWR SAID THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ACCEPT TFC FOR TOUCH AND GOES. I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF TO THE W (THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 29) OUT OF THE ARPT'S CTL, CIRCLE TO THE N, AND RE-ENTER FOR A LNDG. APPROX 9 MI TO THE N AT A LCL RPTING POINT, I LISTENED TO THE CURRENT ATIS, SWITCHED TO THE BED TWR FREQ AND CALLED THE TWR ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS FOR A LNDG WITH THE ATIS INFO. THE FREQ WAS STILL EXTREMELY BUSY WITH NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS STEPPING OVER EACH OTHER. I HAD TO CALL A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE I HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGING MY CALL. HE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT DUE TO THE TFC, HE COULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ALL CALLS TO THE TWR AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD RPT IN AS THEY ENTERED THE PATTERN. I CONTINUED ON TO THE ARPT AND DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT. I ALSO RPTED MY POS AT APPROX 3.5 MI OUT (GPS), BUT DUE TO THE RADIO TFC, DID NOT EXPECT A REPLY. I ANNOUNCED MY POS AGAIN AS I ENTERED THE PATTERN AT MID-FIELD DOWNWIND FOR THE RWY. AT THIS TIME THE TWR ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD NOT ACKNOWLEDGED MY CALL AND THAT I HAD ENTERED THE AIRSPACE WITHOUT PERMISSION AND SHOULD RETURN TO THE N RPTING POINT AND CALL IN AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE N RPTING POINT, GOT THE NEW ATIS, CALLED THE TWR, AND WAS CLRED TO ENTER THE PATTERN AND LAND. THE PATTERN WAS STILL EXTREMELY BUSY AND, DUE TO THE TFC AND SETTING SUN (CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBS DUE TO THE RWY 29 LOCATION), TFC WOULD OCCASIONALLY GET CONFUSING AND SEQUENCING WAS CHALLENGING. OCCASIONALLY ACFT AND TWR WOULD LOOSE THE SEQUENCING AND TEMPERS WOULD GET FRAYED. I LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.