Narrative:

I was operating my privately owned aircraft for pleasure in and around calvert county, md. I was using current VFR charts and VFR pilotage techniques to remain clear of the washington dc ADIZ. The dca DME was not usable due to my altitude and over-the-horizon limitations. Throughout the entire flight, I had the calvert memorial hospital, the benedict bridge across the patuxent river, and the town of scientist cliffs in sight. While I knew I was in proximity to the ADIZ, at no time did I believe I had intruded into the airspace. I had attempted to contact patuxent approach on 120.05 after takeoff and was told to 'identify.' I complied and after a few attempts, was unable to reach them due to saturation and finally, altitude limitations. At no time did I hear a call on patuxent approach or the VHF guard frequency that there may be an incursion into the ADIZ. Upon landing at 2w6, I was told by the FBO owner that I needed to contact potomac approach and that there were 2 aircraft ATC wanted to contact regarding ADIZ airspace intrusions. I contacted potomac approach via phone immediately. The controller stated that he observed my aircraft operating inside the edge of the ADIZ by as much as 2 mi. Recommendation: due to the uncertainty of VFR pilotage techniques and distance measuring equipment, I strongly recommend that all pilots give the ADIZ and all other controled airspace a much wider berth when operating VFR in proximity to such areas. Furthermore, I recommend that all pilots vacate the area if they are not under positive radar contact and in 2-WAY communications with the appropriate facility when operating in this environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT A CLRNC OR DISCRETE XPONDER CODE.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING MY PRIVATELY OWNED ACFT FOR PLEASURE IN AND AROUND CALVERT COUNTY, MD. I WAS USING CURRENT VFR CHARTS AND VFR PILOTAGE TECHNIQUES TO REMAIN CLR OF THE WASHINGTON DC ADIZ. THE DCA DME WAS NOT USABLE DUE TO MY ALT AND OVER-THE-HORIZON LIMITATIONS. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FLT, I HAD THE CALVERT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, THE BENEDICT BRIDGE ACROSS THE PATUXENT RIVER, AND THE TOWN OF SCIENTIST CLIFFS IN SIGHT. WHILE I KNEW I WAS IN PROX TO THE ADIZ, AT NO TIME DID I BELIEVE I HAD INTRUDED INTO THE AIRSPACE. I HAD ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT PATUXENT APCH ON 120.05 AFTER TKOF AND WAS TOLD TO 'IDENT.' I COMPLIED AND AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS, WAS UNABLE TO REACH THEM DUE TO SATURATION AND FINALLY, ALT LIMITATIONS. AT NO TIME DID I HEAR A CALL ON PATUXENT APCH OR THE VHF GUARD FREQ THAT THERE MAY BE AN INCURSION INTO THE ADIZ. UPON LNDG AT 2W6, I WAS TOLD BY THE FBO OWNER THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH AND THAT THERE WERE 2 ACFT ATC WANTED TO CONTACT REGARDING ADIZ AIRSPACE INTRUSIONS. I CONTACTED POTOMAC APCH VIA PHONE IMMEDIATELY. THE CTLR STATED THAT HE OBSERVED MY ACFT OPERATING INSIDE THE EDGE OF THE ADIZ BY AS MUCH AS 2 MI. RECOMMENDATION: DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF VFR PILOTAGE TECHNIQUES AND DISTANCE MEASURING EQUIP, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT ALL PLTS GIVE THE ADIZ AND ALL OTHER CTLED AIRSPACE A MUCH WIDER BERTH WHEN OPERATING VFR IN PROX TO SUCH AREAS. FURTHERMORE, I RECOMMEND THAT ALL PLTS VACATE THE AREA IF THEY ARE NOT UNDER POSITIVE RADAR CONTACT AND IN 2-WAY COMS WITH THE APPROPRIATE FACILITY WHEN OPERATING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

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.