A PA24 pilot violated the dc ADIZ.

Attributes
ACN	584224
Time
Date	200306
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csn.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 1973 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	584224
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was circling over csn VOR at 3000 ft MSL while contacting potomac approach to obtain a discrete transponder code and establish communications so that I could enter the washington ADIZ and land at hef airport, va. I had a flight plan on file but not opened, and I was somewhat ahead of the schedule proposed in that flight plan. I contacted potomac approach on 120.825 MHZ and was assigned transponder code and instructed to identify. I complied and headed direct to hef. In 1 or 2 mins, the controller repeated the transponder code and instructed me to identify again. I verified that the proper code was set and complied again. In a moment or two, the controller stated that he was having trouble receiving my transponder. I offered to recycle it, and he asked me to do that. I turned the transponder to 'standby,' then to 'test' and verified that the light came on, and then to mode C. I was also descending to 2000 ft MSL to stay underneath the class B airspace that was close ahead of me. I did not have any intention of penetrating class B airspace, and I did not have any clearance to do so. After a couple of mins, the controller instructed me to turn left and fly heading 000 degrees magnetic for radar identify, and I complied. After a couple of mins, I asked to turn direct to hef, and the controller consented to that request. I turned toward hef and descended to 1500 ft MSL. 4 mi northwest of hef, the controller instructed me to contact the control tower at hef. I did so, was cleared to land on runway 16R, and did so. When I turned off the runway and contacted ground control, I was told to wait on the ramp at the base of the tower. I complied for several mins. Upon my request I was finally cleared to taxi to my hangar and instructed that potomac TRACON wanted to talk to me and given a telephone number. After putting the aircraft away, I called potomac TRACON. I was informed that the TRACON was considering filing a pilot deviation against me for entering the ADIZ without an operating transponder and asked to give my full name, mailing address, and pilot certificate number. I complied. That evening I called potomac TRACON and spoke with a supervisor. He confirmed that a pilot deviation was being filed against me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA24 PLT VIOLATED THE DC ADIZ.

Narrative: I WAS CIRCLING OVER CSN VOR AT 3000 FT MSL WHILE CONTACTING POTOMAC APCH TO OBTAIN A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE AND ESTABLISH COMS SO THAT I COULD ENTER THE WASHINGTON ADIZ AND LAND AT HEF ARPT, VA. I HAD A FLT PLAN ON FILE BUT NOT OPENED, AND I WAS SOMEWHAT AHEAD OF THE SCHEDULE PROPOSED IN THAT FLT PLAN. I CONTACTED POTOMAC APCH ON 120.825 MHZ AND WAS ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE AND INSTRUCTED TO IDENT. I COMPLIED AND HEADED DIRECT TO HEF. IN 1 OR 2 MINS, THE CTLR REPEATED THE XPONDER CODE AND INSTRUCTED ME TO IDENT AGAIN. I VERIFIED THAT THE PROPER CODE WAS SET AND COMPLIED AGAIN. IN A MOMENT OR TWO, THE CTLR STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE RECEIVING MY XPONDER. I OFFERED TO RECYCLE IT, AND HE ASKED ME TO DO THAT. I TURNED THE XPONDER TO 'STANDBY,' THEN TO 'TEST' AND VERIFIED THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THEN TO MODE C. I WAS ALSO DSNDING TO 2000 FT MSL TO STAY UNDERNEATH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE THAT WAS CLOSE AHEAD OF ME. I DID NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION OF PENETRATING CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND I DID NOT HAVE ANY CLRNC TO DO SO. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN L AND FLY HDG 000 DEGS MAGNETIC FOR RADAR IDENT, AND I COMPLIED. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS, I ASKED TO TURN DIRECT TO HEF, AND THE CTLR CONSENTED TO THAT REQUEST. I TURNED TOWARD HEF AND DSNDED TO 1500 FT MSL. 4 MI NW OF HEF, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE CTL TWR AT HEF. I DID SO, WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 16R, AND DID SO. WHEN I TURNED OFF THE RWY AND CONTACTED GND CTL, I WAS TOLD TO WAIT ON THE RAMP AT THE BASE OF THE TWR. I COMPLIED FOR SEVERAL MINS. UPON MY REQUEST I WAS FINALLY CLRED TO TAXI TO MY HANGAR AND INSTRUCTED THAT POTOMAC TRACON WANTED TO TALK TO ME AND GIVEN A TELEPHONE NUMBER. AFTER PUTTING THE ACFT AWAY, I CALLED POTOMAC TRACON. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRACON WAS CONSIDERING FILING A PLTDEV AGAINST ME FOR ENTERING THE ADIZ WITHOUT AN OPERATING XPONDER AND ASKED TO GIVE MY FULL NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, AND PLT CERTIFICATE NUMBER. I COMPLIED. THAT EVENING I CALLED POTOMAC TRACON AND SPOKE WITH A SUPVR. HE CONFIRMED THAT A PLTDEV WAS BEING FILED AGAINST ME.

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.