Narrative:

I departed runway 3 at ims and turned left to a heading of 360 degrees. The winds at the time were approximately 210 degrees at 16 KTS. Approximately 30 seconds after takeoff I called stanford approach to receive my instrument clearance to pwk. The controller told me to maintain VFR conditions. I filed direct shelbyville V97 on to chicago. I could not turn left and go direct to shb because of WX conditions. Consequently I brushed the restr area by 3 mi (R3403A). I believe the controller saw me on radar at 1500' MSL well before entering the restr area, which was cold at the time according to dayton FSS, because of the reply light on the transponder. He also had a strip on me from ims to pwk. The controller came back and asked me to identify 1200 in which I complied. He then stated that I was in the restr area and told me to turn west, in which I complied the WX conditions then permitted. I then received by IFR clearance to pwk after being handed off to ZID. The controller gave me a phone # to call upon arrival at pwk. In summary, I believe that stanford approach saw me on radar about 45 seconds after takeoff. At a ground speed of approximately 110 KTS and traveled a distance of 7 mi, 3.8 mins elapsed after I was warned by the controller of the airspace encroachment. I know I was getting close to the restr area, but did not realize I was going right for it. I was too busy trying to remain VFR. Faced with the option to remaining VFR or coming close to a restr area, I chose the latter and was caught. Many other pilots would have entered the clouds west/O a clearance rather than risk a possible FAA violation by changing course while in radar contact toward restr airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I DEPARTED RWY 3 AT IMS AND TURNED LEFT TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS. THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE APPROX 210 DEGS AT 16 KTS. APPROX 30 SECS AFTER TKOF I CALLED STANFORD APCH TO RECEIVE MY INSTRUMENT CLRNC TO PWK. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. I FILED DIRECT SHELBYVILLE V97 ON TO CHICAGO. I COULD NOT TURN LEFT AND GO DIRECT TO SHB BECAUSE OF WX CONDITIONS. CONSEQUENTLY I BRUSHED THE RESTR AREA BY 3 MI (R3403A). I BELIEVE THE CTLR SAW ME ON RADAR AT 1500' MSL WELL BEFORE ENTERING THE RESTR AREA, WHICH WAS COLD AT THE TIME ACCORDING TO DAYTON FSS, BECAUSE OF THE REPLY LIGHT ON THE XPONDER. HE ALSO HAD A STRIP ON ME FROM IMS TO PWK. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED ME TO IDENT 1200 IN WHICH I COMPLIED. HE THEN STATED THAT I WAS IN THE RESTR AREA AND TOLD ME TO TURN W, IN WHICH I COMPLIED THE WX CONDITIONS THEN PERMITTED. I THEN RECEIVED BY IFR CLRNC TO PWK AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO ZID. THE CTLR GAVE ME A PHONE # TO CALL UPON ARR AT PWK. IN SUMMARY, I BELIEVE THAT STANFORD APCH SAW ME ON RADAR ABOUT 45 SECS AFTER TKOF. AT A GND SPD OF APPROX 110 KTS AND TRAVELED A DISTANCE OF 7 MI, 3.8 MINS ELAPSED AFTER I WAS WARNED BY THE CTLR OF THE AIRSPACE ENCROACHMENT. I KNOW I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE RESTR AREA, BUT DID NOT REALIZE I WAS GOING RIGHT FOR IT. I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO REMAIN VFR. FACED WITH THE OPTION TO REMAINING VFR OR COMING CLOSE TO A RESTR AREA, I CHOSE THE LATTER AND WAS CAUGHT. MANY OTHER PLTS WOULD HAVE ENTERED THE CLOUDS W/O A CLRNC RATHER THAN RISK A POSSIBLE FAA VIOLATION BY CHANGING COURSE WHILE IN RADAR CONTACT TOWARD RESTR AIRSPACE.

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.