Narrative:

Flying to pob; visual approach left downwind to runway 5. The captain was the PF. On the base turn to final; the aircraft penetrated restr area R-5311ABC. This was the last leg of an 8 day trip. We were all tired. It was my leg to fly. I have about 110 hours on the airplane. Field conditions were VFR; with gusty xwinds 330 degrees/15 KTS gusting 20 KTS or similar. We were expecting runway 23. I briefed the approach to runway 23; pointed out the R-5311; which is located at the departure end of runway 23. We would need to make an immediate right turn in case of a go around. The captain did not seem very concerned. He said that we are IFR and that the area is probably not active; and in case of a go around pob tower will give us instructions and that we will climb to 1700 ft pattern altitude and enter a right traffic for runway 23. This was my first time flying into pob and the captain had been there before. On descent; I could feel that the captain was not comfortable with me flying in the gusty conditions. I showed him my flight record. I do not remember the exact details; because everything happened fairly fast; but about 15-20 mi from the airport we were assigned to runway 5 and cleared for the visual. We were set up for a left downwind entry to runway 5. About this time about 5-10 mi to the downwind; the captain asked for the controls and decided that he was going to fly and land. Under the circumstances; I did not contest. The relief pilot mentioned the restr area R5311; again the captain was not concerned. He said that it's probably not active since they are landing runway 5. The relief pilot asked again if we should ask tower if R5311 is active; the captain refused. The aircraft was high on the approach and the downwind was extended further penetrating the R5311. In my opinion; the left downwind pattern and landing runway 5 is too tight for large aircraft. I should have been more assertive on pointing out the restr area to the captain. Initially; I was relieved that we were on an IFR flight plan; and that ATC would advise us if the restr area was active; but then we accepted the visual approach and were cleared to land. The captain was certain that the area was not active; and that if it was ATC would let us know. He was not concerned. There were too many other things were going on; and I assumed that he was right; especially since he had been here before. I was more concerned about us getting down because we were high. We landed safely. The ground crew advised us that the aircraft had penetrated the R5311. We spoke with the person who was in charge; we asked if we should call the tower or approach; but the captain did not deem it necessary. Supplemental information from acn 785074: just before entering the traffic pattern I again stated the need to check with ATC (pope tower) regarding status of R5311 abc but captain refused. The airplane entered R5311 on base leg and we were advised by pope tower. Aircraft landing without further incident. We spoke with pope safety officer. He stated this happens (airspace violation) often. Even the van driver stated he hears crews talking about it. I believe the captain thought R5311 abc was not 'effective' if runway 5 was in use.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLT ENTERED R5311 ON BASE LEG. THE CAPT DID NOT WANT TO CALL ATC AND DETERMINE ITS STATUS IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLEAR OF IT.

Narrative: FLYING TO POB; VISUAL APCH L DOWNWIND TO RWY 5. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. ON THE BASE TURN TO FINAL; THE ACFT PENETRATED RESTR AREA R-5311ABC. THIS WAS THE LAST LEG OF AN 8 DAY TRIP. WE WERE ALL TIRED. IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY. I HAVE ABOUT 110 HRS ON THE AIRPLANE. FIELD CONDITIONS WERE VFR; WITH GUSTY XWINDS 330 DEGS/15 KTS GUSTING 20 KTS OR SIMILAR. WE WERE EXPECTING RWY 23. I BRIEFED THE APCH TO RWY 23; POINTED OUT THE R-5311; WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE DEP END OF RWY 23. WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN IN CASE OF A GAR. THE CAPT DID NOT SEEM VERY CONCERNED. HE SAID THAT WE ARE IFR AND THAT THE AREA IS PROBABLY NOT ACTIVE; AND IN CASE OF A GAR POB TWR WILL GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS AND THAT WE WILL CLB TO 1700 FT PATTERN ALT AND ENTER A R TFC FOR RWY 23. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME FLYING INTO POB AND THE CAPT HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE. ON DSCNT; I COULD FEEL THAT THE CAPT WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH ME FLYING IN THE GUSTY CONDITIONS. I SHOWED HIM MY FLT RECORD. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT DETAILS; BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAPPENED FAIRLY FAST; BUT ABOUT 15-20 MI FROM THE ARPT WE WERE ASSIGNED TO RWY 5 AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. WE WERE SET UP FOR A L DOWNWIND ENTRY TO RWY 5. ABOUT THIS TIME ABOUT 5-10 MI TO THE DOWNWIND; THE CAPT ASKED FOR THE CTLS AND DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO FLY AND LAND. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES; I DID NOT CONTEST. THE RELIEF PLT MENTIONED THE RESTR AREA R5311; AGAIN THE CAPT WAS NOT CONCERNED. HE SAID THAT IT'S PROBABLY NOT ACTIVE SINCE THEY ARE LNDG RWY 5. THE RELIEF PLT ASKED AGAIN IF WE SHOULD ASK TWR IF R5311 IS ACTIVE; THE CAPT REFUSED. THE ACFT WAS HIGH ON THE APCH AND THE DOWNWIND WAS EXTENDED FURTHER PENETRATING THE R5311. IN MY OPINION; THE L DOWNWIND PATTERN AND LNDG RWY 5 IS TOO TIGHT FOR LARGE ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE ON POINTING OUT THE RESTR AREA TO THE CAPT. INITIALLY; I WAS RELIEVED THAT WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; AND THAT ATC WOULD ADVISE US IF THE RESTR AREA WAS ACTIVE; BUT THEN WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL APCH AND WERE CLRED TO LAND. THE CAPT WAS CERTAIN THAT THE AREA WAS NOT ACTIVE; AND THAT IF IT WAS ATC WOULD LET US KNOW. HE WAS NOT CONCERNED. THERE WERE TOO MANY OTHER THINGS WERE GOING ON; AND I ASSUMED THAT HE WAS RIGHT; ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAD BEEN HERE BEFORE. I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT US GETTING DOWN BECAUSE WE WERE HIGH. WE LANDED SAFELY. THE GND CREW ADVISED US THAT THE ACFT HAD PENETRATED THE R5311. WE SPOKE WITH THE PERSON WHO WAS IN CHARGE; WE ASKED IF WE SHOULD CALL THE TWR OR APCH; BUT THE CAPT DID NOT DEEM IT NECESSARY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 785074: JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN I AGAIN STATED THE NEED TO CHK WITH ATC (POPE TWR) REGARDING STATUS OF R5311 ABC BUT CAPT REFUSED. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED R5311 ON BASE LEG AND WE WERE ADVISED BY POPE TWR. ACFT LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WE SPOKE WITH POPE SAFETY OFFICER. HE STATED THIS HAPPENS (AIRSPACE VIOLATION) OFTEN. EVEN THE VAN DRIVER STATED HE HEARS CREWS TALKING ABOUT IT. I BELIEVE THE CAPT THOUGHT R5311 ABC WAS NOT 'EFFECTIVE' IF RWY 5 WAS IN USE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.