Narrative:

Shortly after XA00 local, I received a clearance from the iad clearance delivery while on the ground at the FBO ramp. It was for a flight in a helicopter from iad to land 14 NM northwest of the airport on approximately the 285 degree radial from aml. I was cleared out of the bravo with the tower as they instructed, below 2000 ft, departure frequency 125.05, and a squawk code. After receiving a clearance to depart northwest bound from the tower on 128.42 we proceeded. Shortly before clearing the class B surface area, less than 7 NM from iad, we received instructions to 'squawk 1200' and frequency change approved. Being aware of fdc NOTAM, which establishes an ADIZ out to the outer boundary of the iad class B airspace from the surface upwards to FL180, I questioned the controller in that I was still within the ADIZ and need to maintain a discrete assigned squawk code. The controller responded again to squawk 1200 and approved a frequency change. I again reiterated that I needed to maintain an assigned squawk code until I cleared the ADIZ, and further that my routing was to land 14 NM northwest of iad, where I would still be in the ADIZ, then immediately depart after which we would clear the ADIZ to the southwest. The controller responded by asking me to standby while she checked. After a short time, during which I assumed she was verifying the correctness of her instructions with a supervisor, she again instructed me to squawk 1200 and approved a frequency change. By this point I had traveled a few more miles. I estimate I was 8 to 10 NM from iad when I changed to a 1200 code. At this point I set the number 2 communication radio to monitor 121.5 as I still had to land approximately 14 NM northwest of iad (I was on the ground approximately XA00) and then clear the ADIZ to the southwest, all of which the controller was told. Nonetheless, I felt it was prudent to monitor 121.5 as recommended in the event of an air intercept. Some time later, 20 to 30 mins, we saw and contacted a customs black hawk who said we had violated a tfr. We were 39.7 NM southwest of iad and had been surveying (orbiting) real estate in that general area, well outside the ADIZ boundary. We agreed to land at cjr and were escorted by the black hawk whose crew interviewed us on the ground. They checked identification's, aircraft paperwork, and inspected the aircraft. They advised me that they had been scrambled from dca because of an 'alarm' set off by my squawking 1200 within the ADIZ. Upon hearing my story of the events, and communication with the ncrcc (national capital region command center) I was told that we could leave as the FAA/secret service did not wish to speak with us. The us customs aviation enforcement officer, who conducted the interview acknowledged that this appeared to be controller error and that I should request a transcript of the tower communications should I need to defend myself against an FAA violation, but that the decision to proceed with a violation accusation was the FAA's decision. The customs crew provided me a phone number for an FAA rep, at the ncrcc. We spoke later that day and he clearly stated that if the tapes substantiate my account there would be no violation. I also contacted the iad tower chief, who after hearing my situation, listened to the tape, called me back and said that no violation will occur, agreeing that I went 'out of my way' to prevent the situation, but the controller still erred. I requested a meeting with her as it seems that many controllers have different opinions of how the ADIZ tfr works. She agreed and will have someone from potomac TRACON attend as well. I also spoke with the customs agent later that day who said he was reporting to superiors regarding this event and the controller's error. My primary concern now is that a violation does not appear on my record and show as dismissed, but that the matter is closed, as parties have indicated without it reaching investigation of a violation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the pilot had meetings with iad tower supervisors, pct TRACON supervisors, and customs supervisors. None of these supervisors appear to know the rules for operation in ADIZ airspace. They are confusing rules for operation in class B with the ADIZ rules. He thinks the controller staffing is inadequate for the new workload the controllers are required to handle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT WAS INTERCEPTED IN DC ADIZ AFTER THE PCT CTLR INSISTED HE SQUAWK VFR WHILE IN DC ADIZ AIRSPACE. HE WAS INTERCEPTED BY A CUSTOMS HELI AS A RESULT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER XA00 LCL, I RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM THE IAD CLRNC DELIVERY WHILE ON THE GND AT THE FBO RAMP. IT WAS FOR A FLT IN A HELI FROM IAD TO LAND 14 NM NW OF THE ARPT ON APPROX THE 285 DEG RADIAL FROM AML. I WAS CLRED OUT OF THE BRAVO WITH THE TWR AS THEY INSTRUCTED, BELOW 2000 FT, DEP FREQ 125.05, AND A SQUAWK CODE. AFTER RECEIVING A CLRNC TO DEPART NW BOUND FROM THE TWR ON 128.42 WE PROCEEDED. SHORTLY BEFORE CLRING THE CLASS B SURFACE AREA, LESS THAN 7 NM FROM IAD, WE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO 'SQUAWK 1200' AND FREQUENCY CHANGE APPROVED. BEING AWARE OF FDC NOTAM, WHICH ESTABLISHES AN ADIZ OUT TO THE OUTER BOUNDARY OF THE IAD CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM THE SURFACE UPWARDS TO FL180, I QUESTIONED THE CTLR IN THAT I WAS STILL WITHIN THE ADIZ AND NEED TO MAINTAIN A DISCRETE ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE. THE CTLR RESPONDED AGAIN TO SQUAWK 1200 AND APPROVED A FREQUENCY CHANGE. I AGAIN REITERATED THAT I NEEDED TO MAINTAIN AN ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE UNTIL I CLRED THE ADIZ, AND FURTHER THAT MY ROUTING WAS TO LAND 14 NM NW OF IAD, WHERE I WOULD STILL BE IN THE ADIZ, THEN IMMEDIATELY DEPART AFTER WHICH WE WOULD CLR THE ADIZ TO THE SW. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY ASKING ME TO STANDBY WHILE SHE CHKED. AFTER A SHORT TIME, DURING WHICH I ASSUMED SHE WAS VERIFYING THE CORRECTNESS OF HER INSTRUCTIONS WITH A SUPVR, SHE AGAIN INSTRUCTED ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND APPROVED A FREQUENCY CHANGE. BY THIS POINT I HAD TRAVELED A FEW MORE MILES. I ESTIMATE I WAS 8 TO 10 NM FROM IAD WHEN I CHANGED TO A 1200 CODE. AT THIS POINT I SET THE NUMBER 2 COM RADIO TO MONITOR 121.5 AS I STILL HAD TO LAND APPROX 14 NM NW OF IAD (I WAS ON THE GND APPROX XA00) AND THEN CLR THE ADIZ TO THE SW, ALL OF WHICH THE CTLR WAS TOLD. NONETHELESS, I FELT IT WAS PRUDENT TO MONITOR 121.5 AS RECOMMENDED IN THE EVENT OF AN AIR INTERCEPT. SOME TIME LATER, 20 TO 30 MINS, WE SAW AND CONTACTED A CUSTOMS BLACK HAWK WHO SAID WE HAD VIOLATED A TFR. WE WERE 39.7 NM SW OF IAD AND HAD BEEN SURVEYING (ORBITING) REAL ESTATE IN THAT GENERAL AREA, WELL OUTSIDE THE ADIZ BOUNDARY. WE AGREED TO LAND AT CJR AND WERE ESCORTED BY THE BLACK HAWK WHOSE CREW INTERVIEWED US ON THE GND. THEY CHKED ID'S, ACFT PAPERWORK, AND INSPECTED THE ACFT. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN SCRAMBLED FROM DCA BECAUSE OF AN 'ALARM' SET OFF BY MY SQUAWKING 1200 WITHIN THE ADIZ. UPON HEARING MY STORY OF THE EVENTS, AND COM WITH THE NCRCC (NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION COMMAND CTR) I WAS TOLD THAT WE COULD LEAVE AS THE FAA/SECRET SERVICE DID NOT WISH TO SPEAK WITH US. THE US CUSTOMS AVIATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WHO CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEW ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS APPEARED TO BE CTLR ERROR AND THAT I SHOULD REQUEST A TRANSCRIPT OF THE TWR COMS SHOULD I NEED TO DEFEND MYSELF AGAINST AN FAA VIOLATION, BUT THAT THE DECISION TO PROCEED WITH A VIOLATION ACCUSATION WAS THE FAA'S DECISION. THE CUSTOMS CREW PROVIDED ME A PHONE NUMBER FOR AN FAA REP, AT THE NCRCC. WE SPOKE LATER THAT DAY AND HE CLEARLY STATED THAT IF THE TAPES SUBSTANTIATE MY ACCOUNT THERE WOULD BE NO VIOLATION. I ALSO CONTACTED THE IAD TWR CHIEF, WHO AFTER HEARING MY SIT, LISTENED TO THE TAPE, CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THAT NO VIOLATION WILL OCCUR, AGREEING THAT I WENT 'OUT OF MY WAY' TO PREVENT THE SIT, BUT THE CTLR STILL ERRED. I REQUESTED A MEETING WITH HER AS IT SEEMS THAT MANY CTLRS HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF HOW THE ADIZ TFR WORKS. SHE AGREED AND WILL HAVE SOMEONE FROM POTOMAC TRACON ATTEND AS WELL. I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE CUSTOMS AGENT LATER THAT DAY WHO SAID HE WAS RPTING TO SUPERIORS REGARDING THIS EVENT AND THE CTLR'S ERROR. MY PRIMARY CONCERN NOW IS THAT A VIOLATION DOES NOT APPEAR ON MY RECORD AND SHOW AS DISMISSED, BUT THAT THE MATTER IS CLOSED, AS PARTIES HAVE INDICATED WITHOUT IT REACHING INVESTIGATION OF A VIOLATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLT HAD MEETINGS WITH IAD TWR SUPVRS, PCT TRACON SUPVRS, AND CUSTOMS SUPVRS. NONE OF THESE SUPVRS APPEAR TO KNOW THE RULES FOR OP IN ADIZ AIRSPACE. THEY ARE CONFUSING RULES FOR OP IN CLASS B WITH THE ADIZ RULES. HE THINKS THE CTLR STAFFING IS INADEQUATE FOR THE NEW WORKLOAD THE CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO HANDLE.

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.