Narrative:

On sep/sun/03, at XA06Z, the PIC and I departed esn, md, VFR on an IFR flight to LOM, wings field, PA. The aircraft we were flying was a king air B200. How the problem arose: we departed VFR on this trip because we were unable to get a hold of potomac approach on the ground, and the WX was VMC. The navigation display showed our first waypoint to the west, and we planned a left crosswind departure in that direction. After takeoff, we started to turn toward the first waypoint in the FMS flight plan. At this point we both noticed that the FMS was showing the first waypoint in the wrong direction. I tried to figure out why the FMS was showing the first waypoint, the dupont VOR, to our west, and the captain was trying to raise potomac approach on the radio for a clearance. After realizing that I could not get the FMS to indicate correctly, I brought the VOR #1 up on the navigation display, so I could navigation to dupont with conventional means. After the fact, we believe that it was during this right turn from the west to the northeast that we skimmed through the eastern edge of the washington dc, ADIZ. How the problem was discovered: the controller was taking quite a while to get back to us with a clearance, and the PIC was trying to figure out what was wrong with the FMS at this time. The controller finally came back and gave us a heading and altitude to fly, and informed us we might have entered the washington dc, ADIZ momentarily. I had not done any of the flight planning for either the flight in or out of easton, and had not spent much time looking at the charts, so did not realize the easton airport's close proximity to the ADIZ. Later, the controller came back and said that we had indeed entered the ADIZ and that we needed to call a number when we landed. Contributing factors: I believe there were several contributing factors that led to this situation. The first would be a misunderstanding in the initialization of the FMS. I mistakenly entered the destination airport (LOM) or wings field. The PIC noticed this mistake, and brought it to my attention. I tried to correct the problem by going to the flight plan page, which will automatically display this initial airport entry as waypoint #1 in the flight plan. I erased the incorrect airport (low) and entered the correct one (esn). The FMS accepted this, and I continued to enter the flight plan. The PIC was with me as I did complete this task. Unfortunately, however, the FMS was displaying our route of flight incorrectly, because it did not know where it was because the wrong airport had been entered in the initialization page. So I believe the FMS contributed to this situation, because it showed our first waypoint to the west of the airport, in the direction of the washington, dc, ADIZ. Another contributing factor was that I had not looked at the charts to know that the ADIZ was only 7 mi to the west of the easton airport. Unfortunately, the PIC was also unaware of the close proximity of this airspace. At our company, it is normal practice for the sic to get the aircraft ready for flts, and also to do any other items delegated by the PIC. The PIC for this trip had done the flight planning, checked the WX, and filed the flight plan and talked to FSS. Another factor was ATC's slow response at getting back to us with a clearance. We were already well on our way to the northeast, and were I believe about 6 mi to the north of the airport before he finally gave us a clearance. Lastly, I believe the training I was given on the FMS may have contributed to this situation. I was never formally instructed on its use, and never was a manual made available, until after I was on line flying the plane, and I found the manual on board the aircraft. Corrective actions: since this situation arose, I have changed several things in my attitude toward flying. The first thing I have done is spend some time with the FMS manual. I have a much more solid understanding of the initialization page, and it's importance in setting up the FMS. I now set up the FMS the way the manual says to initialize it, which is different than the way I was shown in training. I have much better knowledge of what to do if it is initialized incorrectly. It is not hard to accidentally type the wrong identify into the initialization page. However, I have learned how to properly correct that mistake, so I will not duplicate it in the future. I am also going to make it a point to always look at the charts before I take off VFR from an airport that I am not familiar with so I can be familiar with the airspace surrounding it, regardless of who has done the flight planning. I will never count on the other pilot to know the airspace, regardless if I am the sic, or who did the flight planning. I also plan to always try to get an IFR clearance on the ground, if at all possible, so as to always have instructions, and clearance into any special airspace. Summary: during the flight in question, the PIC and I made a few mistakes that led us inadvertently into the washington, dc, ADIZ. By initializing the FMS incorrectly, not realizing the close proximity of the special airspace, not backing up the FMS with conventional means, and not getting a clearance sooner, or even better on the ground, we got into this situation. I have learned how to properly correct the mistake made in initialization of the universal FMS. I am confident that this situation will never arise again. I think that it would be helpful if our company would identify this airport, and others like it, on our trip sheets to alert other crews of this close proximity airspace to prevent another crew from doing the same thing. Also, training everyone on how to properly correct the initialization of the FMS if it is initialized incorrectly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF BE20 MISPROGRAMMED FMS. TAKES OFF FROM ESN, TURNS THE WRONG WAY AND STUMBLES INTO THE DC ADIZ WITHOUT AUTH.

Narrative: ON SEP/SUN/03, AT XA06Z, THE PIC AND I DEPARTED ESN, MD, VFR ON AN IFR FLT TO LOM, WINGS FIELD, PA. THE ACFT WE WERE FLYING WAS A KING AIR B200. HOW THE PROB AROSE: WE DEPARTED VFR ON THIS TRIP BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A HOLD OF POTOMAC APCH ON THE GND, AND THE WX WAS VMC. THE NAV DISPLAY SHOWED OUR FIRST WAYPOINT TO THE W, AND WE PLANNED A L XWIND DEP IN THAT DIRECTION. AFTER TKOF, WE STARTED TO TURN TOWARD THE FIRST WAYPOINT IN THE FMS FLT PLAN. AT THIS POINT WE BOTH NOTICED THAT THE FMS WAS SHOWING THE FIRST WAYPOINT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE FMS WAS SHOWING THE FIRST WAYPOINT, THE DUPONT VOR, TO OUR W, AND THE CAPT WAS TRYING TO RAISE POTOMAC APCH ON THE RADIO FOR A CLRNC. AFTER REALIZING THAT I COULD NOT GET THE FMS TO INDICATE CORRECTLY, I BROUGHT THE VOR #1 UP ON THE NAV DISPLAY, SO I COULD NAV TO DUPONT WITH CONVENTIONAL MEANS. AFTER THE FACT, WE BELIEVE THAT IT WAS DURING THIS R TURN FROM THE W TO THE NE THAT WE SKIMMED THROUGH THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE WASHINGTON DC, ADIZ. HOW THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED: THE CTLR WAS TAKING QUITE A WHILE TO GET BACK TO US WITH A CLRNC, AND THE PIC WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE FMS AT THIS TIME. THE CTLR FINALLY CAME BACK AND GAVE US A HDG AND ALT TO FLY, AND INFORMED US WE MIGHT HAVE ENTERED THE WASHINGTON DC, ADIZ MOMENTARILY. I HAD NOT DONE ANY OF THE FLT PLANNING FOR EITHER THE FLT IN OR OUT OF EASTON, AND HAD NOT SPENT MUCH TIME LOOKING AT THE CHARTS, SO DID NOT REALIZE THE EASTON ARPT'S CLOSE PROX TO THE ADIZ. LATER, THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID THAT WE HAD INDEED ENTERED THE ADIZ AND THAT WE NEEDED TO CALL A NUMBER WHEN WE LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I BELIEVE THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS SIT. THE FIRST WOULD BE A MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE INITIALIZATION OF THE FMS. I MISTAKENLY ENTERED THE DEST ARPT (LOM) OR WINGS FIELD. THE PIC NOTICED THIS MISTAKE, AND BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN. I TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROB BY GOING TO THE FLT PLAN PAGE, WHICH WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAY THIS INITIAL ARPT ENTRY AS WAYPOINT #1 IN THE FLT PLAN. I ERASED THE INCORRECT ARPT (LOW) AND ENTERED THE CORRECT ONE (ESN). THE FMS ACCEPTED THIS, AND I CONTINUED TO ENTER THE FLT PLAN. THE PIC WAS WITH ME AS I DID COMPLETE THIS TASK. UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, THE FMS WAS DISPLAYING OUR RTE OF FLT INCORRECTLY, BECAUSE IT DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS BECAUSE THE WRONG ARPT HAD BEEN ENTERED IN THE INITIALIZATION PAGE. SO I BELIEVE THE FMS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT, BECAUSE IT SHOWED OUR FIRST WAYPOINT TO THE W OF THE ARPT, IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WASHINGTON, DC, ADIZ. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT I HAD NOT LOOKED AT THE CHARTS TO KNOW THAT THE ADIZ WAS ONLY 7 MI TO THE W OF THE EASTON ARPT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PIC WAS ALSO UNAWARE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF THIS AIRSPACE. AT OUR COMPANY, IT IS NORMAL PRACTICE FOR THE SIC TO GET THE ACFT READY FOR FLTS, AND ALSO TO DO ANY OTHER ITEMS DELEGATED BY THE PIC. THE PIC FOR THIS TRIP HAD DONE THE FLT PLANNING, CHKED THE WX, AND FILED THE FLT PLAN AND TALKED TO FSS. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS ATC'S SLOW RESPONSE AT GETTING BACK TO US WITH A CLRNC. WE WERE ALREADY WELL ON OUR WAY TO THE NE, AND WERE I BELIEVE ABOUT 6 MI TO THE N OF THE ARPT BEFORE HE FINALLY GAVE US A CLRNC. LASTLY, I BELIEVE THE TRAINING I WAS GIVEN ON THE FMS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT. I WAS NEVER FORMALLY INSTRUCTED ON ITS USE, AND NEVER WAS A MANUAL MADE AVAILABLE, UNTIL AFTER I WAS ON LINE FLYING THE PLANE, AND I FOUND THE MANUAL ON BOARD THE ACFT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: SINCE THIS SIT AROSE, I HAVE CHANGED SEVERAL THINGS IN MY ATTITUDE TOWARD FLYING. THE FIRST THING I HAVE DONE IS SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE FMS MANUAL. I HAVE A MUCH MORE SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE INITIALIZATION PAGE, AND IT'S IMPORTANCE IN SETTING UP THE FMS. I NOW SET UP THE FMS THE WAY THE MANUAL SAYS TO INITIALIZE IT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY I WAS SHOWN IN TRAINING. I HAVE MUCH BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TO DO IF IT IS INITIALIZED INCORRECTLY. IT IS NOT HARD TO ACCIDENTALLY TYPE THE WRONG IDENT INTO THE INITIALIZATION PAGE. HOWEVER, I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PROPERLY CORRECT THAT MISTAKE, SO I WILL NOT DUPLICATE IT IN THE FUTURE. I AM ALSO GOING TO MAKE IT A POINT TO ALWAYS LOOK AT THE CHARTS BEFORE I TAKE OFF VFR FROM AN ARPT THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH SO I CAN BE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRSPACE SURROUNDING IT, REGARDLESS OF WHO HAS DONE THE FLT PLANNING. I WILL NEVER COUNT ON THE OTHER PLT TO KNOW THE AIRSPACE, REGARDLESS IF I AM THE SIC, OR WHO DID THE FLT PLANNING. I ALSO PLAN TO ALWAYS TRY TO GET AN IFR CLRNC ON THE GND, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, SO AS TO ALWAYS HAVE INSTRUCTIONS, AND CLRNC INTO ANY SPECIAL AIRSPACE. SUMMARY: DURING THE FLT IN QUESTION, THE PIC AND I MADE A FEW MISTAKES THAT LED US INADVERTENTLY INTO THE WASHINGTON, DC, ADIZ. BY INITIALIZING THE FMS INCORRECTLY, NOT REALIZING THE CLOSE PROX OF THE SPECIAL AIRSPACE, NOT BACKING UP THE FMS WITH CONVENTIONAL MEANS, AND NOT GETTING A CLRNC SOONER, OR EVEN BETTER ON THE GND, WE GOT INTO THIS SIT. I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PROPERLY CORRECT THE MISTAKE MADE IN INITIALIZATION OF THE UNIVERSAL FMS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS SIT WILL NEVER ARISE AGAIN. I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF OUR COMPANY WOULD IDENT THIS ARPT, AND OTHERS LIKE IT, ON OUR TRIP SHEETS TO ALERT OTHER CREWS OF THIS CLOSE PROX AIRSPACE TO PREVENT ANOTHER CREW FROM DOING THE SAME THING. ALSO, TRAINING EVERYONE ON HOW TO PROPERLY CORRECT THE INITIALIZATION OF THE FMS IF IT IS INITIALIZED INCORRECTLY.

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.