Air carrier medium large transport penetrated R2501 while on authority/authorized WX deviation.

Attributes
ACN	93393
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 19600 flight time type : 1880
ASRS Report	93393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Filed route was psp-CATH4-tnp-J10-den. Because of severe WX reported between tnp and drk, we refiled (air) tnp-eed-tbc-J128 den. During climb we requested, and were cleared, to climb north of course to avoid thunderstorms. Shortly thereafter we were told by ZLA to squawk 7700 as we had entered a restr area (R2501). Since we were spending so much time (2-M crew) avoiding thunderstorms using x-band radar, we were not aware we were in a restr area. I believe ATC should have advised us when we were getting close to R2501, and, if there was no other alternative but to enter the area, ATC should have advised the R2501 controllers or agency. I was not aware that a 7700 squawk could be initiated by ATC. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter's main concern in filing this report was the fact that ATC had instructed him to squawk 7700 and in essence declare an emergency. He was unaware that ATC had that authority and wondered if he had been mishandled by the controller in this particular incident. Analyst shared the information from the FAA handbook on the use of 7700 and controller's use of that code and the position taken by the manager, procedures division, ato-300 as outlined in their letter dated 8/25/86. Reporter stated that he had attended a controller/pilot seminar after this event and this subject was discussed in detail and much information was exchanged concerning deviation procedures when severe WX was present.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG PENETRATED R2501 WHILE ON AUTH WX DEVIATION.

Narrative: FILED ROUTE WAS PSP-CATH4-TNP-J10-DEN. BECAUSE OF SEVERE WX RPTED BTWN TNP AND DRK, WE REFILED (AIR) TNP-EED-TBC-J128 DEN. DURING CLB WE REQUESTED, AND WERE CLRED, TO CLB N OF COURSE TO AVOID TSTMS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE TOLD BY ZLA TO SQUAWK 7700 AS WE HAD ENTERED A RESTR AREA (R2501). SINCE WE WERE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME (2-M CREW) AVOIDING TSTMS USING X-BAND RADAR, WE WERE NOT AWARE WE WERE IN A RESTR AREA. I BELIEVE ATC SHOULD HAVE ADVISED US WHEN WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO R2501, AND, IF THERE WAS NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUT TO ENTER THE AREA, ATC SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE R2501 CTLRS OR AGENCY. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT A 7700 SQUAWK COULD BE INITIATED BY ATC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR'S MAIN CONCERN IN FILING THIS RPT WAS THE FACT THAT ATC HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO SQUAWK 7700 AND IN ESSENCE DECLARE AN EMER. HE WAS UNAWARE THAT ATC HAD THAT AUTHORITY AND WONDERED IF HE HAD BEEN MISHANDLED BY THE CTLR IN THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. ANALYST SHARED THE INFO FROM THE FAA HANDBOOK ON THE USE OF 7700 AND CTLR'S USE OF THAT CODE AND THE POS TAKEN BY THE MGR, PROCS DIVISION, ATO-300 AS OUTLINED IN THEIR LETTER DATED 8/25/86. RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD ATTENDED A CTLR/PLT SEMINAR AFTER THIS EVENT AND THIS SUBJECT WAS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AND MUCH INFO WAS EXCHANGED CONCERNING DEVIATION PROCS WHEN SEVERE WX WAS PRESENT.

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.