Narrative:

Departed mine site approximately 7 NM north ckb airport. Contacted approach control and indicated position and dir of flight. Was given a heading that would have taken us away from a location we wanted to see, declined further radar service and used LORAN to skirt boundary of class D airspace depicted on sectional as 4 NM radius from airport -- was maintaining 4 to 4.5 NM distance -- LORAN range readout jumped from 4.5 to 3.5 NM, may have violated class D airspace by not being in two way communication with ATC. Immediately adjusted the course to increase separation distance from ckb airport. Placed too much confidence in the LORAN to provide necessary distance. Should have discussed needs with ATC and used ATC service to provide separation or vector to desired location.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA ATX HELI ACFT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE WHILE RELYING ON LORAN METHOD OF NAV TO AVOID THE PENETRATED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTED MINE SITE APPROX 7 NM N CKB ARPT. CONTACTED APCH CTL AND INDICATED POS AND DIR OF FLT. WAS GIVEN A HDG THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN US AWAY FROM A LOCATION WE WANTED TO SEE, DECLINED FURTHER RADAR SVC AND USED LORAN TO SKIRT BOUNDARY OF CLASS D AIRSPACE DEPICTED ON SECTIONAL AS 4 NM RADIUS FROM ARPT -- WAS MAINTAINING 4 TO 4.5 NM DISTANCE -- LORAN RANGE READOUT JUMPED FROM 4.5 TO 3.5 NM, MAY HAVE VIOLATED CLASS D AIRSPACE BY NOT BEING IN TWO WAY COM WITH ATC. IMMEDIATELY ADJUSTED THE COURSE TO INCREASE SEPARATION DISTANCE FROM CKB ARPT. PLACED TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE LORAN TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DISTANCE. SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED NEEDS WITH ATC AND USED ATC SVC TO PROVIDE SEPARATION OR VECTOR TO DESIRED LOCATION.

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.