A319 crew entered P-56 after the heading mode was not engaged.

Attributes
ACN	589003
Time
Date	200307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 143 flight time total : 18640 flight time type : 1179
ASRS Report	589003
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12750 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	589212
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being radar vectored for the RNAV runway 19 approach at dca, in IMC conditions, heading mode on autoflt system did not engage and aircraft inadvertently entered P-56. At the time we were in process of setting FMS up for a new approach due to a runway change in progress. This high workload caused delay in recognition that heading mode did not engage when selected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW ENTERED P-56 AFTER THE HEADING MODE WAS NOT ENGAGED.

Narrative: WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR THE RNAV RWY 19 APCH AT DCA, IN IMC CONDITIONS, HEADING MODE ON AUTOFLT SYS DID NOT ENGAGE AND ACFT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED P-56. AT THE TIME WE WERE IN PROCESS OF SETTING FMS UP FOR A NEW APCH DUE TO A RWY CHANGE IN PROGRESS. THIS HIGH WORKLOAD CAUSED DELAY IN RECOGNITION THAT HEADING MODE DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN SELECTED.

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.