Narrative:

While on a downwind preparing to land within an air traffic area, the control tower extended the leg and said we were #2 to land. I put the plane in slow flight and was engaged in trying to locate the traffic which was inbound at my altitude (1900' MSL). I climbed to 2050' MSL while still looking for the traffic. I then noticed a rather large bird which was too close just ahead of me. I continued a climb past the bird and finally located my traffic which I was to follow. At that point, I was approximately 3 mi from the runway at 2400' MSL. The columbus arsa's outer circle had a base of 2200' MSL. I had just entered the edge of that airspace. Upon realizing, I immediately dropped to pattern altitude of 1900' MSL. The traffic I was to follow and the bird were contributing factors along with the control tower's questionable sequencing. I could have landed easily before the other aircraft approached the runway. Also, 300' between pattern altitude and the base of the arsa is not a lot of room to maneuver. When this occurred, my last concern was the arsa. Dropping altitude in a high wing plane west/O locating the traffic was not an option. I did not realize I had made the mistake until I explained it to my instrument. Upon reflection, I realize I could have maneuvered west/O entering the arsa. I should have been more aware of the altitude and the altitude of the arsa base. I could have divided my attention better or told the control tower sooner that I did not have the traffic in sight. Inexperience on my part was the main factor but I felt that what I did was the safe thing to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES CMH ARSA DUE TO BIRD AVOIDANCE MANEUVER.

Narrative: WHILE ON A DOWNWIND PREPARING TO LAND WITHIN AN ATA, THE CTL TWR EXTENDED THE LEG AND SAID WE WERE #2 TO LAND. I PUT THE PLANE IN SLOW FLT AND WAS ENGAGED IN TRYING TO LOCATE THE TFC WHICH WAS INBND AT MY ALT (1900' MSL). I CLBED TO 2050' MSL WHILE STILL LOOKING FOR THE TFC. I THEN NOTICED A RATHER LARGE BIRD WHICH WAS TOO CLOSE JUST AHEAD OF ME. I CONTINUED A CLB PAST THE BIRD AND FINALLY LOCATED MY TFC WHICH I WAS TO FOLLOW. AT THAT POINT, I WAS APPROX 3 MI FROM THE RWY AT 2400' MSL. THE COLUMBUS ARSA'S OUTER CIRCLE HAD A BASE OF 2200' MSL. I HAD JUST ENTERED THE EDGE OF THAT AIRSPACE. UPON REALIZING, I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO PATTERN ALT OF 1900' MSL. THE TFC I WAS TO FOLLOW AND THE BIRD WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ALONG WITH THE CTL TWR'S QUESTIONABLE SEQUENCING. I COULD HAVE LANDED EASILY BEFORE THE OTHER ACFT APCHED THE RWY. ALSO, 300' BTWN PATTERN ALT AND THE BASE OF THE ARSA IS NOT A LOT OF ROOM TO MANEUVER. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, MY LAST CONCERN WAS THE ARSA. DROPPING ALT IN A HIGH WING PLANE W/O LOCATING THE TFC WAS NOT AN OPTION. I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD MADE THE MISTAKE UNTIL I EXPLAINED IT TO MY INSTR. UPON REFLECTION, I REALIZE I COULD HAVE MANEUVERED W/O ENTERING THE ARSA. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF THE ALT AND THE ALT OF THE ARSA BASE. I COULD HAVE DIVIDED MY ATTN BETTER OR TOLD THE CTL TWR SOONER THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE TFC IN SIGHT. INEXPERIENCE ON MY PART WAS THE MAIN FACTOR BUT I FELT THAT WHAT I DID WAS THE SAFE THING TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.