Narrative:

This incident took place during a short local flight originating and ending at dmw. The purpose of the flight was to test and adjust equipment consequent. Dmw is located 11 miles outside the wash dc. The dc ADIZ is discussed often among the local pilots. I am aware of the dc ADIZ. During this and other recent flts, I have referenced a certain tower clearly depicted on the current washington sectional as the southeast limit of VFR operations believing that operations extended no further to the southeast of dmw than that tower would keep me safely clear of the dc ADIZ. This tower located 3.9 NM on the 230 degree radial of the EMI VOR, is depicted one NM outside the outer edge of the blue arc that locates the limit of the wash tri-area class B airspace. On the flight in question, I approached the tower from the west, turned to a heading of approximately 120 degrees directly over the tower, flew to the north and west, landing back at dmw. After landing, I was asked to call ATC. I was informed that I had violated the dc ADIZ. Apparently, my entire flight was monitored by an airborne radar facility that had witnessed and recorded my alleged infraction and identified my aircraft upon touchdown at dmw. Pct approach control appeared to be convinced I was in the ADIZ. I expect the radar system used to track me is much more precise than the chart I relied upon to assure myself clear. As both the tower I used as reference and the limit of the ADIZ are clearly depicted on the current washington sectional, and given the precise qualities assumed in the radar system in use, I would suggest that the positions of the tower in question and its relationship to the ADIZ be carefully confirmed on the washington sectional. If we are to be precise in avoiding any airspace under VFR, we must have reliable and precise charting of identifiable visual points of reference. My honest intention to clear the area by one mile was clearly not adequate. I have chosen landmarks further beyond the ADIZ limit for future VFR operations limits and will adjust my operations accordingly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE33 PLT IS ADVISED AFTER LNDG AT DMW THAT HE HAD PENETRATED THE DC ADIZ. PLT QUESTIONS TWR PLACEMENT OF WASHINGTON SECTIONAL CHART AS CLR OF DC ADIZ.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE DURING A SHORT LOCAL FLT ORIGINATING AND ENDING AT DMW. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO TEST AND ADJUST EQUIPMENT CONSEQUENT. DMW IS LOCATED 11 MILES OUTSIDE THE WASH DC. THE DC ADIZ IS DISCUSSED OFTEN AMONG THE LOCAL PLTS. I AM AWARE OF THE DC ADIZ. DURING THIS AND OTHER RECENT FLTS, I HAVE REFERENCED A CERTAIN TWR CLRLY DEPICTED ON THE CURRENT WASHINGTON SECTIONAL AS THE SE LIMIT OF VFR OPS BELIEVING THAT OPS EXTENDED NO FURTHER TO THE SE OF DMW THAN THAT TWR WOULD KEEP ME SAFELY CLR OF THE DC ADIZ. THIS TWR LOCATED 3.9 NM ON THE 230 DEGREE RADIAL OF THE EMI VOR, IS DEPICTED ONE NM OUTSIDE THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BLUE ARC THAT LOCATES THE LIMIT OF THE WASH TRI-AREA CLASS B AIRSPACE. ON THE FLT IN QUESTION, I APCHED THE TWR FROM THE WEST, TURNED TO A HDG OF APPROX 120 DEGS DIRECTLY OVER THE TWR, FLEW TO THE N AND W, LNDG BACK AT DMW. AFTER LNDG, I WAS ASKED TO CALL ATC. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE DC ADIZ. APPARENTLY, MY ENTIRE FLT WAS MONITORED BY AN AIRBORNE RADAR FACILITY THAT HAD WITNESSED AND RECORDED MY ALLEGED INFRACTION AND IDENTIFIED MY AIRCRAFT UPON TOUCHDOWN AT DMW. PCT APCH CTL APPEARED TO BE CONVINCED I WAS IN THE ADIZ. I EXPECT THE RADAR SYSTEM USED TO TRACK ME IS MUCH MORE PRECISE THAN THE CHART I RELIED UPON TO ASSURE MYSELF CLR. AS BOTH THE TWR I USED AS REFERENCE AND THE LIMIT OF THE ADIZ ARE CLRLY DEPICTED ON THE CURRENT WASHINGTON SECTIONAL, AND GIVEN THE PRECISE QUALITIES ASSUMED IN THE RADAR SYSTEM IN USE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE POSITIONS OF THE TWR IN QUESTION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE ADIZ BE CAREFULLY CONFIRMED ON THE WASHINGTON SECTIONAL. IF WE ARE TO BE PRECISE IN AVOIDING ANY AIRSPACE UNDER VFR, WE MUST HAVE RELIABLE AND PRECISE CHARTING OF IDENTIFIABLE VISUAL POINTS OF REFERENCE. MY HONEST INTENTION TO CLR THE AREA BY ONE MILE WAS CLRLY NOT ADEQUATE. I HAVE CHOSEN LANDMARKS FURTHER BEYOND THE ADIZ LIMIT FOR FUTURE VFR OPS LIMITS AND WILL ADJUST MY OPS ACCORDINGLY.

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.