Pipeline inspection aircraft enters class C airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	306081
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ffo tower : day
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	306081
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot was flying weekly petroleum (undergnd) pipeline route which traverses into wright-patterson AFB class D airspace, including a pipeline carrying jet fuel to tankage on the base. Pilot contacted wright-patterson AFB tower about 14 mi northeast on 126.9 and was told to contact tower again when actually entering class D. I contacted tower at 6.2 mi out and was told (for the first time in 1 1/2 yrs of flying this route) that entrance was denied due to special exercises on the base. I decided to circumnav class D counterclockwise to resume the pipeline route on the southwest side of wright-patterson AFB. I set the GPS to ffo and maintained 5 plus NM distance from wright-patterson AFB as I flew around. As I was flying on the northwest side of wright-patterson AFB I noticed mgy about equidistant off my right wing (with wright-patterson AFB off my left wing). I got as closed as 4.6 NM to ffo. I do not know my distance from mgy. When I later landed I reviewed the sectional map and noticeable the wright-pattern AFB class D and day class C inner rings appear to just touch, hence I may have entered (barely) one or the other. Complicating this is while up-to-date sectionals were on board, pipeline pilots normally use specialized strip maps showing only about 1 mi on each side of pipeline. With hindsight I should have called day approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPELINE INSPECTION ACFT ENTERS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: PLT WAS FLYING WKLY PETROLEUM (UNDERGND) PIPELINE RTE WHICH TRAVERSES INTO WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB CLASS D AIRSPACE, INCLUDING A PIPELINE CARRYING JET FUEL TO TANKAGE ON THE BASE. PLT CONTACTED WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB TWR ABOUT 14 MI NE ON 126.9 AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR AGAIN WHEN ACTUALLY ENTERING CLASS D. I CONTACTED TWR AT 6.2 MI OUT AND WAS TOLD (FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1 1/2 YRS OF FLYING THIS RTE) THAT ENTRANCE WAS DENIED DUE TO SPECIAL EXERCISES ON THE BASE. I DECIDED TO CIRCUMNAV CLASS D COUNTERCLOCKWISE TO RESUME THE PIPELINE RTE ON THE SW SIDE OF WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB. I SET THE GPS TO FFO AND MAINTAINED 5 PLUS NM DISTANCE FROM WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB AS I FLEW AROUND. AS I WAS FLYING ON THE NW SIDE OF WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB I NOTICED MGY ABOUT EQUIDISTANT OFF MY R WING (WITH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OFF MY L WING). I GOT AS CLOSED AS 4.6 NM TO FFO. I DO NOT KNOW MY DISTANCE FROM MGY. WHEN I LATER LANDED I REVIEWED THE SECTIONAL MAP AND NOTICEABLE THE WRIGHT-PATTERN AFB CLASS D AND DAY CLASS C INNER RINGS APPEAR TO JUST TOUCH, HENCE I MAY HAVE ENTERED (BARELY) ONE OR THE OTHER. COMPLICATING THIS IS WHILE UP-TO-DATE SECTIONALS WERE ON BOARD, PIPELINE PLTS NORMALLY USE SPECIALIZED STRIP MAPS SHOWING ONLY ABOUT 1 MI ON EACH SIDE OF PIPELINE. WITH HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE CALLED DAY APCH.

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.