Narrative:

I had planned a minimum 75 NM (2 hour) trip for part of my commercial requirements in march 2003 prior to my instructor leaving until september 2003. I told him I would fly from fdk to okv to hef and back to fdk, and he said 'ok.' due to inclement WX and lack of availability of the helicopter, I couldn't make the flight until jun/sun/03. I called WX brief and was aware of camp david. I also told the people from where I rent the helicopter and they said that the route I planned was a nice one. I took off at from fdk at XA00 hours and flew to okv, landed and refueled. I took off from okv and headed for hef. When I got over lake manassas (where I normally contact the hef tower) I listened to hef ATIS and heard that the winds were gusting to 21 KTS. I opted to breakoff the approach and return to fdk, staying west of leesburg airport by about 8 mi to avoid their traffic. The manassas tower radioed requesting identification and I responded with 'helicopter' there was no further communication. My altitude was 1500 ft MSL and airspeed was 80 KTS. As I was due west of leesburg airport, the united states customs blackhawk approached on my left side from behind and displayed a sign with 121.5 radio frequency to contact them. I adjusted my radio frequency and contacted them. At this time the blackhawk crew informed me that I had violated the ADIZ and instructed me to land at the nearest airport and shut down. After about a 30 min interview, they cleared me to leave provided I file a flight plan with the FSS and receive a squawk code to fly back to frederick, md. In addition, I was instructed to call potomac TRACON and talk with a supervisor. I complied with all the instructions and made it back to fdk around 1600 EST with no further incidents. I am a relatively new pilot and realize where I made my mistake. I will ensure that this won't happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: R22 PLT ENTERED ZDC ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC OR A DISCREET XPONDER CODE.

Narrative: I HAD PLANNED A MINIMUM 75 NM (2 HR) TRIP FOR PART OF MY COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS IN MARCH 2003 PRIOR TO MY INSTRUCTOR LEAVING UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2003. I TOLD HIM I WOULD FLY FROM FDK TO OKV TO HEF AND BACK TO FDK, AND HE SAID 'OK.' DUE TO INCLEMENT WX AND LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF THE HELI, I COULDN'T MAKE THE FLT UNTIL JUN/SUN/03. I CALLED WX BRIEF AND WAS AWARE OF CAMP DAVID. I ALSO TOLD THE PEOPLE FROM WHERE I RENT THE HELI AND THEY SAID THAT THE RTE I PLANNED WAS A NICE ONE. I TOOK OFF AT FROM FDK AT XA00 HRS AND FLEW TO OKV, LANDED AND REFUELED. I TOOK OFF FROM OKV AND HEADED FOR HEF. WHEN I GOT OVER LAKE MANASSAS (WHERE I NORMALLY CONTACT THE HEF TWR) I LISTENED TO HEF ATIS AND HEARD THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 21 KTS. I OPTED TO BREAKOFF THE APCH AND RETURN TO FDK, STAYING W OF LEESBURG ARPT BY ABOUT 8 MI TO AVOID THEIR TFC. THE MANASSAS TWR RADIOED REQUESTING IDENTIFICATION AND I RESPONDED WITH 'HELI' THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM. MY ALT WAS 1500 FT MSL AND AIRSPD WAS 80 KTS. AS I WAS DUE W OF LEESBURG ARPT, THE UNITED STATES CUSTOMS BLACKHAWK APCHED ON MY L SIDE FROM BEHIND AND DISPLAYED A SIGN WITH 121.5 RADIO FREQ TO CONTACT THEM. I ADJUSTED MY RADIO FREQ AND CONTACTED THEM. AT THIS TIME THE BLACKHAWK CREW INFORMED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE ADIZ AND INSTRUCTED ME TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT AND SHUT DOWN. AFTER ABOUT A 30 MIN INTERVIEW, THEY CLRED ME TO LEAVE PROVIDED I FILE A FLT PLAN WITH THE FSS AND RECEIVE A SQUAWK CODE TO FLY BACK TO FREDERICK, MD. IN ADDITION, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL POTOMAC TRACON AND TALK WITH A SUPERVISOR. I COMPLIED WITH ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS AND MADE IT BACK TO FDK AROUND 1600 EST WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. I AM A RELATIVELY NEW PLT AND REALIZE WHERE I MADE MY MISTAKE. I WILL ENSURE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.