GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	95854
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2000
ASRS Report	95854
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Xc flight from west 93 to 2b6. Varying VFR cruising altitude from 3500-5500' to maintain VFR cruising altitude and clearance from clouds. Preflight planning was for 5500' cruise on outdated ny sectional arsa not depicted. Current ny sectional purchased just prior to departure. Descended to 3500' just prior to crossing etx VOR to maintain VFR cloud sep. Failed to contact approach control until already entered allentown arsa. Immediately contacted arsa approach control approximately 8 mi southwest of airport. Aircraft equipped with mode C, it was in operation. Factors: preflight planning on outdated sectional. Cost factor to update sectional charts not used frequently. Recent establishment of the large # of arsa's vs aviation communities awareness of location. It was easy to know and see the location of TCA's. The number of arsa's are considerable. Sectional charts should depict TCA's, arsa's with a bright orange color to help pilots identify these areas. There is too much magenta/blue that blends together. Orange would stand out to assist the pilot when in-flight navigation must be altered to deal with changing WX conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: XC FLT FROM W 93 TO 2B6. VARYING VFR CRUISING ALT FROM 3500-5500' TO MAINTAIN VFR CRUISING ALT AND CLRNC FROM CLOUDS. PREFLT PLANNING WAS FOR 5500' CRUISE ON OUTDATED NY SECTIONAL ARSA NOT DEPICTED. CURRENT NY SECTIONAL PURCHASED JUST PRIOR TO DEP. DSNDED TO 3500' JUST PRIOR TO XING ETX VOR TO MAINTAIN VFR CLOUD SEP. FAILED TO CONTACT APCH CTL UNTIL ALREADY ENTERED ALLENTOWN ARSA. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ARSA APCH CTL APPROX 8 MI SW OF ARPT. ACFT EQUIPPED WITH MODE C, IT WAS IN OPERATION. FACTORS: PREFLT PLANNING ON OUTDATED SECTIONAL. COST FACTOR TO UPDATE SECTIONAL CHARTS NOT USED FREQUENTLY. RECENT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LARGE # OF ARSA'S VS AVIATION COMMUNITIES AWARENESS OF LOCATION. IT WAS EASY TO KNOW AND SEE THE LOCATION OF TCA'S. THE NUMBER OF ARSA'S ARE CONSIDERABLE. SECTIONAL CHARTS SHOULD DEPICT TCA'S, ARSA'S WITH A BRIGHT ORANGE COLOR TO HELP PLTS IDENT THESE AREAS. THERE IS TOO MUCH MAGENTA/BLUE THAT BLENDS TOGETHER. ORANGE WOULD STAND OUT TO ASSIST THE PLT WHEN INFLT NAV MUST BE ALTERED TO DEAL WITH CHANGING WX CONDITIONS.

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.