Small transport pilot descended through arsa without contact with controlling facility.

Attributes
ACN	92042
Time
Date	198808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe tracon : rdg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 11200 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	92042
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 8/fri/88 while ferrying an aircraft VFR to reading, PA, at a cruising altitude of 12500', 70 mi out, I received reading's ATIS Z, ceiling 3000' broken, visibility 10 mi. I began my descent to 4500' because I was wbound. After talking to williamsport FSS as I air filed outbnd and return, I kept descending to stay clear of clouds. While doing so, I inadvertently entered allentown's arsa, keeping clear of traffic at all times. At 23 mi northeast I contacted reading approach control for landing and after landing was told to contact allentown approach by phone. The problem is that the arsa is very poorly marked on the IFR charts. Devoting primary time to aircraft and visual sep, it was easy to fly past the small dots on the IFR chart. At no time was safety of flight affected, but the arsa should be more clearly marked to avoid this type of incident. All the TCA's and mra's are shaded on the IFR charts, making it clear on the IFR charts when the route of flight penetrates one of these areas. Since the arsa requires mandatory contact it would be advisable to have some clear demarcation of these areas on IFR charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT DESCENDED THROUGH ARSA WITHOUT CONTACT WITH CONTROLLING FAC.

Narrative: ON 8/FRI/88 WHILE FERRYING AN ACFT VFR TO READING, PA, AT A CRUISING ALT OF 12500', 70 MI OUT, I RECEIVED READING'S ATIS Z, CEILING 3000' BROKEN, VIS 10 MI. I BEGAN MY DSCNT TO 4500' BECAUSE I WAS WBOUND. AFTER TALKING TO WILLIAMSPORT FSS AS I AIR FILED OUTBND AND RETURN, I KEPT DSNDING TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. WHILE DOING SO, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED ALLENTOWN'S ARSA, KEEPING CLR OF TFC AT ALL TIMES. AT 23 MI NE I CONTACTED READING APCH CTL FOR LNDG AND AFTER LNDG WAS TOLD TO CONTACT ALLENTOWN APCH BY PHONE. THE PROB IS THAT THE ARSA IS VERY POORLY MARKED ON THE IFR CHARTS. DEVOTING PRIMARY TIME TO ACFT AND VISUAL SEP, IT WAS EASY TO FLY PAST THE SMALL DOTS ON THE IFR CHART. AT NO TIME WAS SAFETY OF FLT AFFECTED, BUT THE ARSA SHOULD BE MORE CLEARLY MARKED TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT. ALL THE TCA'S AND MRA'S ARE SHADED ON THE IFR CHARTS, MAKING IT CLEAR ON THE IFR CHARTS WHEN THE ROUTE OF FLT PENETRATES ONE OF THESE AREAS. SINCE THE ARSA REQUIRES MANDATORY CONTACT IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO HAVE SOME CLEAR DEMARCATION OF THESE AREAS ON IFR CHARTS.

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.