Narrative:

I departed 2w6 with 1 passenger. I squawked 1200 code mode C. I landed at cge and departed to the west 1 hour later. I decided to fly just south of laplata to take pictures. I contacted patuxent approach on 120.05 and told them of my intentions and asked if I had to do anything special to fly to laplata at 1000 ft MSL. They came back with 'stay clear of ADIZ.' I did not know that I was required to file a flight plan to fly around the laplata area at 1000 ft. I thought (at that time) that I was only required to file if I landed or took off within the ADIZ. I was still squawking 1200. I circled the property just south of laplata to take the pictures, turned out to a northern heading, and then made a 180 degree turn back to the south towards 2w6. Just south of chalk point power plant at 1000 ft, a united states customs helicopter approached to my right at the same altitude. I contacted patuxent approach again and asked them if the helicopter was trying to contact me. They said not to their knowledge. After a min, the helicopter held up a sign with the emergency frequency on it, and I immediately contacted them. I told them I was landing at 2w6, and they followed me down and I landed and taxied to park. I was then approached by the 2 united states customs agents, who told me of the violation, and asked for my driver's license, pilot's license, medical, aircraft registration, and passenger's driver's license. All documents were produced to the satisfaction of the custom's agents. They then instructed me to contact potomac approach by telephone when I got home. I did this, and they said that I would be contacted in several weeks. I have since then reviewed the ADIZ requirements in detail, and realize that I need to file a flight plan before entering the 30 mi radius of the washington area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NAVION SINGLE PLT VIOLATED THE DC ADIZ.

Narrative: I DEPARTED 2W6 WITH 1 PAX. I SQUAWKED 1200 CODE MODE C. I LANDED AT CGE AND DEPARTED TO THE W 1 HR LATER. I DECIDED TO FLY JUST S OF LAPLATA TO TAKE PICTURES. I CONTACTED PATUXENT APCH ON 120.05 AND TOLD THEM OF MY INTENTIONS AND ASKED IF I HAD TO DO ANYTHING SPECIAL TO FLY TO LAPLATA AT 1000 FT MSL. THEY CAME BACK WITH 'STAY CLR OF ADIZ.' I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO FILE A FLT PLAN TO FLY AROUND THE LAPLATA AREA AT 1000 FT. I THOUGHT (AT THAT TIME) THAT I WAS ONLY REQUIRED TO FILE IF I LANDED OR TOOK OFF WITHIN THE ADIZ. I WAS STILL SQUAWKING 1200. I CIRCLED THE PROPERTY JUST S OF LAPLATA TO TAKE THE PICTURES, TURNED OUT TO A NORTHERN HDG, AND THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE S TOWARDS 2W6. JUST S OF CHALK POINT PWR PLANT AT 1000 FT, A UNITED STATES CUSTOMS HELI APCHED TO MY R AT THE SAME ALT. I CONTACTED PATUXENT APCH AGAIN AND ASKED THEM IF THE HELI WAS TRYING TO CONTACT ME. THEY SAID NOT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE. AFTER A MIN, THE HELI HELD UP A SIGN WITH THE EMER FREQ ON IT, AND I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THEM. I TOLD THEM I WAS LNDG AT 2W6, AND THEY FOLLOWED ME DOWN AND I LANDED AND TAXIED TO PARK. I WAS THEN APCHED BY THE 2 UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AGENTS, WHO TOLD ME OF THE VIOLATION, AND ASKED FOR MY DRIVER'S LICENSE, PLT'S LICENSE, MEDICAL, ACFT REGISTRATION, AND PAX'S DRIVER'S LICENSE. ALL DOCUMENTS WERE PRODUCED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE CUSTOM'S AGENTS. THEY THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH BY TELEPHONE WHEN I GOT HOME. I DID THIS, AND THEY SAID THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED IN SEVERAL WKS. I HAVE SINCE THEN REVIEWED THE ADIZ REQUIREMENTS IN DETAIL, AND REALIZE THAT I NEED TO FILE A FLT PLAN BEFORE ENTERING THE 30 MI RADIUS OF THE WASHINGTON AREA.

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.