A low time pilot made a series of errors including probably flight in IMC while VFR, entering R3602B...

Attributes
ACN	613230
Time
Date	200403
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mhk.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon tower : mhk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cirrus Acft Undifferentiated
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 11.7
ASRS Report	613230
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from dlh. It was overcast at 2500 ft with a temperature of 0 degrees C. The flight was to dallas, with a refueling stop in manhattan, ks. We started flying VFR at 2000 ft under the overcast clouds to stay out of possible ice. Several holes appeared in the cloud deck allowing us to climb above to 6500 ft. As we neared kansas, we set up the communication #1 radio to ZKC (127.35) and manhattan tower (118.55) on standby. We were not sure if we could find a hole in the cloud deck, so we were set to pick up an IFR clearance. The clouds became broken and we descended through a hole. At this point, I unknowingly crossed restr airspace R3602B. I relied on the GPS display to show MOA's (yellow lines) and restr airspace (red lines). The red lines were not visible on the green display. I am color blind and this is noted on my pilot's license. The MOA's are easily seen on the GPS display. As we approached the airport, I called on kansas city frequency instead of the tower frequency. Hearing no response, I thought it was a CTAF and proceeded to the airport. While turning final on runway 31, I heard kansas city say the tower was active, so I immediately turned the plane away from the approach and called the tower. After making contact with the tower, I landed on runway 31. After refueling and beginning to taxi, the tower asked if I knew that I had crossed restr airspace. We checked the GPS display again, no restr area was visible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PLT MADE A SERIES OF ERRORS INCLUDING PROBABLY FLT IN IMC WHILE VFR, ENTERING R3602B WITHOUT PERMISSION, ATTEMPTING TO LAND WITHOUT PERMISSION AT MHK, AND RELYING ON EQUIP HE IS NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO USE.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM DLH. IT WAS OVCST AT 2500 FT WITH A TEMP OF 0 DEGS C. THE FLT WAS TO DALLAS, WITH A REFUELING STOP IN MANHATTAN, KS. WE STARTED FLYING VFR AT 2000 FT UNDER THE OVCST CLOUDS TO STAY OUT OF POSSIBLE ICE. SEVERAL HOLES APPEARED IN THE CLOUD DECK ALLOWING US TO CLB ABOVE TO 6500 FT. AS WE NEARED KANSAS, WE SET UP THE COM #1 RADIO TO ZKC (127.35) AND MANHATTAN TWR (118.55) ON STANDBY. WE WERE NOT SURE IF WE COULD FIND A HOLE IN THE CLOUD DECK, SO WE WERE SET TO PICK UP AN IFR CLRNC. THE CLOUDS BECAME BROKEN AND WE DSNDED THROUGH A HOLE. AT THIS POINT, I UNKNOWINGLY CROSSED RESTR AIRSPACE R3602B. I RELIED ON THE GPS DISPLAY TO SHOW MOA'S (YELLOW LINES) AND RESTR AIRSPACE (RED LINES). THE RED LINES WERE NOT VISIBLE ON THE GREEN DISPLAY. I AM COLOR BLIND AND THIS IS NOTED ON MY PLT'S LICENSE. THE MOA'S ARE EASILY SEEN ON THE GPS DISPLAY. AS WE APCHED THE ARPT, I CALLED ON KANSAS CITY FREQ INSTEAD OF THE TWR FREQ. HEARING NO RESPONSE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A CTAF AND PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT. WHILE TURNING FINAL ON RWY 31, I HEARD KANSAS CITY SAY THE TWR WAS ACTIVE, SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE PLANE AWAY FROM THE APCH AND CALLED THE TWR. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TWR, I LANDED ON RWY 31. AFTER REFUELING AND BEGINNING TO TAXI, THE TWR ASKED IF I KNEW THAT I HAD CROSSED RESTR AIRSPACE. WE CHKED THE GPS DISPLAY AGAIN, NO RESTR AREA WAS VISIBLE.

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.

A low time pilot made a series of errors including probably flight in IMC while VFR, entering R3602B without permission, attempting to land without permission at mhk, and relying on equipment he is not physically able to use.