<< >> NASA ASRS Report 259176, December 1993

Student pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft inadvertently penetrated a TCA (class B) airspace on first solo cross country.

Attributes
ACN	259176
Time
Date	199312
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den airport : bjc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7800 msl bound upper : 8050
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den tower : tpa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 30 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	259176
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on my first cross country solo flight, the compass gyroscope was not working. I was flying with the aid of the magnetic compass which was difficult to read because of intermittent mild turbulence. My attention temporarily strayed and I inadvertently strayed from my planned altitude of 7800 ft into the stapleton TCA (8000 ft). My altitude was 8050 ft when I realized what had happened and I immediately descended. I was not in the TCA more than 30 seconds at the most, and I discovered this error as I was scanning the instruments. No other aircraft were in the vicinity. Lesson learned: avoid focusing attention on one aspect of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED A TCA (CLASS B) AIRSPACE ON FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY.

Narrative: WHILE ON MY FIRST XCOUNTRY SOLO FLT, THE COMPASS GYROSCOPE WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS FLYING WITH THE AID OF THE MAGNETIC COMPASS WHICH WAS DIFFICULT TO READ BECAUSE OF INTERMITTENT MILD TURB. MY ATTN TEMPORARILY STRAYED AND I INADVERTENTLY STRAYED FROM MY PLANNED ALT OF 7800 FT INTO THE STAPLETON TCA (8000 FT). MY ALT WAS 8050 FT WHEN I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED. I WAS NOT IN THE TCA MORE THAN 30 SECONDS AT THE MOST, AND I DISCOVERED THIS ERROR AS I WAS SCANNING THE INSTS. NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN THE VICINITY. LESSON LEARNED: AVOID FOCUSING ATTN ON ONE ASPECT OF THE FLT.

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.