Narrative:

Pilot error and awareness of wind drift and D/G setting 10 degrees left of actual heading caused aircraft to enter the washington TCA west/O ATC clearance. Pilot was talking to dulles approach control after departing gai to request advisories while flying over the arsa at 4500' MSL on a 240 degree heading. The sequence began 5 mi southwest of gai with a radio call to dulles. A transponder code was issued and entered, but radar contact was not established for about 3 mins, although the reply light was blinking. When I reported over the potomac river to ATC, I was advised that I was in the TCA and given a 270 degree heading to fly out of the northwest corner where I had drifted while looking at dulles and flying VFR. Visibility was 15-20 mi in haze, clear and hot, 90+ degrees. Instrument verification (VOR and DME) should have been used to remain clear of the TCA. A left turn out to the west to leesburg should have been used instead of climbing on right downwind from runway 32 to gain altitude. The VFR plan failed to track inbound on the 060 degree right to dulles because no wind correction angle was used and I was homing to a fix visually while drifting south of the intended ground track. The second controller I spoke to at dulles gave me a phone number to call upon reaching front royal, va. I called and spoke to the controling supervisor in washington. He advised me of the danger that was created by the intrusion and what could have been done to avoid the incident. I agreed with him on every point. He said that no violation would be issued. A replay of the ATC tapes might reveal something else I could have done in talking to dulles that might have prevented this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE, DCA TCA.

Narrative: PLT ERROR AND AWARENESS OF WIND DRIFT AND D/G SETTING 10 DEGS LEFT OF ACTUAL HDG CAUSED ACFT TO ENTER THE WASHINGTON TCA W/O ATC CLRNC. PLT WAS TALKING TO DULLES APCH CTL AFTER DEPARTING GAI TO REQUEST ADVISORIES WHILE FLYING OVER THE ARSA AT 4500' MSL ON A 240 DEG HDG. THE SEQUENCE BEGAN 5 MI SW OF GAI WITH A RADIO CALL TO DULLES. A TRANSPONDER CODE WAS ISSUED AND ENTERED, BUT RADAR CONTACT WAS NOT ESTABLISHED FOR ABOUT 3 MINS, ALTHOUGH THE REPLY LIGHT WAS BLINKING. WHEN I RPTED OVER THE POTOMAC RIVER TO ATC, I WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS IN THE TCA AND GIVEN A 270 DEG HDG TO FLY OUT OF THE NW CORNER WHERE I HAD DRIFTED WHILE LOOKING AT DULLES AND FLYING VFR. VIS WAS 15-20 MI IN HAZE, CLR AND HOT, 90+ DEGS. INSTRUMENT VERIFICATION (VOR AND DME) SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO REMAIN CLR OF THE TCA. A LEFT TURN OUT TO THE W TO LEESBURG SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED INSTEAD OF CLBING ON RIGHT DOWNWIND FROM RWY 32 TO GAIN ALT. THE VFR PLAN FAILED TO TRACK INBND ON THE 060 DEG R TO DULLES BECAUSE NO WIND CORRECTION ANGLE WAS USED AND I WAS HOMING TO A FIX VISUALLY WHILE DRIFTING S OF THE INTENDED GND TRACK. THE SECOND CTLR I SPOKE TO AT DULLES GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL UPON REACHING FRONT ROYAL, VA. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO THE CTLING SUPVR IN WASHINGTON. HE ADVISED ME OF THE DANGER THAT WAS CREATED BY THE INTRUSION AND WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO AVOID THE INCIDENT. I AGREED WITH HIM ON EVERY POINT. HE SAID THAT NO VIOLATION WOULD BE ISSUED. A REPLAY OF THE ATC TAPES MIGHT REVEAL SOMETHING ELSE I COULD HAVE DONE IN TALKING TO DULLES THAT MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.