Narrative:

Departing hef on a VFR/ADIZ flight plan, I contacted pct approach when instructed by hef tower. I was radar identified and proceeded on-course, being reminded to not enter the class B airspace. My course was filed with elkins FSS as csn VOR, mrb VOR, and thence to mrb airport. I had filed the entire route as the path from csn to mrb in right on the edge of the dc ADIZ. As I approached csn, pct informed me that I was exiting the ADIZ, and to squawk 1200 (with) frequency change approved. The pct controller seemed very busy, I didn't complain and went on my way. Winds were light, but I was approximately 1 NM east of my course, as I crossed upperville airport on its eastern edge as opposed to its western. My mistake was to assume that my plan was still active at this point. My assumption was that, akin to an IFR flight, only radar services were terminated, but my plan was still active. Approaching upperville, I heard a call to 'aircraft south of upperville' notifying me (there were no other aircraft near) that I was in the dc ADIZ and suggesting that I exit the area immediately. I tuned directly west and maintained my altitude, then responded on 121.5 that 'cherokee was on a flight plan and would contact pct approach.' contacting pct approach, they recognized the situation and asked for my request. I requested my squawk, but they indicated that from my (then) present position to mrb was outside the ADIZ. The controller then suggested a new frequency of pct in that area for further assistance. By the time I had turned that frequency and waited for clear frequency, pct was calling me up with a notification of a possible 'pilot deviation' and giving me a number (pct approach) to call upon landing. I continued to mrb airport and landed without incident. The event could have been avoided had I insisted upon keeping a squawk code, or failing that verifying with approach that my route of flight would miss the ADIZ as I proceeded north. As well, though ATC is overloaded with VFR flts due to the ADIZ, ATC needs to pay more attention to the flight plans, not assuming that all VFR flts are aching to exit the ADIZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LEAVING THE DC ADIZ A PA28 PLT DEVIATES SLIGHTLY FROM HIS COURSE AND DRIFTS BACK INTO THE ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTING HEF ON A VFR/ADIZ FLT PLAN, I CONTACTED PCT APCH WHEN INSTRUCTED BY HEF TWR. I WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED AND PROCEEDED ON-COURSE, BEING REMINDED TO NOT ENTER THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. MY COURSE WAS FILED WITH ELKINS FSS AS CSN VOR, MRB VOR, AND THENCE TO MRB ARPT. I HAD FILED THE ENTIRE RTE AS THE PATH FROM CSN TO MRB IN RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE DC ADIZ. AS I APCHED CSN, PCT INFORMED ME THAT I WAS EXITING THE ADIZ, AND TO SQUAWK 1200 (WITH) FREQUENCY CHANGE APPROVED. THE PCT CTLR SEEMED VERY BUSY, I DIDN'T COMPLAIN AND WENT ON MY WAY. WINDS WERE LIGHT, BUT I WAS APPROX 1 NM E OF MY COURSE, AS I CROSSED UPPERVILLE ARPT ON ITS EASTERN EDGE AS OPPOSED TO ITS WESTERN. MY MISTAKE WAS TO ASSUME THAT MY PLAN WAS STILL ACTIVE AT THIS POINT. MY ASSUMPTION WAS THAT, AKIN TO AN IFR FLT, ONLY RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED, BUT MY PLAN WAS STILL ACTIVE. APCHING UPPERVILLE, I HEARD A CALL TO 'ACFT S OF UPPERVILLE' NOTIFYING ME (THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT NEAR) THAT I WAS IN THE DC ADIZ AND SUGGESTING THAT I EXIT THE AREA IMMEDIATELY. I TUNED DIRECTLY W AND MAINTAINED MY ALT, THEN RESPONDED ON 121.5 THAT 'CHEROKEE WAS ON A FLT PLAN AND WOULD CONTACT PCT APCH.' CONTACTING PCT APCH, THEY RECOGNIZED THE SIT AND ASKED FOR MY REQUEST. I REQUESTED MY SQUAWK, BUT THEY INDICATED THAT FROM MY (THEN) PRESENT POS TO MRB WAS OUTSIDE THE ADIZ. THE CTLR THEN SUGGESTED A NEW FREQ OF PCT IN THAT AREA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. BY THE TIME I HAD TURNED THAT FREQUENCY AND WAITED FOR CLR FREQUENCY, PCT WAS CALLING ME UP WITH A NOTIFICATION OF A POSSIBLE 'PLT DEVIATION' AND GIVING ME A NUMBER (PCT APCH) TO CALL UPON LNDG. I CONTINUED TO MRB ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I INSISTED UPON KEEPING A SQUAWK CODE, OR FAILING THAT VERIFYING WITH APCH THAT MY RTE OF FLT WOULD MISS THE ADIZ AS I PROCEEDED N. AS WELL, THOUGH ATC IS OVERLOADED WITH VFR FLTS DUE TO THE ADIZ, ATC NEEDS TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE FLT PLANS, NOT ASSUMING THAT ALL VFR FLTS ARE ACHING TO EXIT THE ADIZ.

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.