Light Transport; High Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 6000; Flight Crew Type 90
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Exited Penetrated Airspace
Human Factors; Airspace Structure; Procedure
I was dispatched to a fire with two BLM (Bureau of Land Management) personnel onboard on an Air Attack mission for firefighting. We did not have coordinates for the fire until airborne and therefore did not have time to properly check the sectional for airspace before I left; which was my mistake. I got airborne and received the fire coordinates from State Forestry and input them into my GPS and started heading to it. I knew I was close to Class C airspace so I contacted approach and they gave me a squawk code. Shortly after they told me to climb from 4500 to 5500 for traffic; which I did immediately. We had also seen traffic ahead on our onboard TCAS display; which was not an immediate threat. We later saw the traffic (UAS) pass below us. We proceeded to the fire and when Approach gave me the clearance for frequency change out of their airspace they told me to call a number for a possible Restricted Area intrusion. I still had no idea what they were talking about until I later reviewed the sectional closer. I then called them from the Satellite phone and later from my cell phone to talk with TRACON and discuss my mistake. They said I just barely clipped the Restricted Area by the Air Force Base; which was active at the time and the traffic I climbed to avoid was a drone.I realize my mistake was not reviewing airspace properly before being dispatched for a fire; but also believe the nature of fire dispatches along with my unfamiliarity with the area caused this to happen. From now on I demand to know the fire coordinates before getting airborne so I can review the airspace.
Light twin pilot reports being dispatched on an air attack mission for the Forest Service without precise coordinates or a proper preflight of the route. The route passes through restricted airspace and results in a conflict with a military drone.