Narrative:

Sep/sun/95 I decided to take our flight school's seminole (PA44-180) on a flight to determine its performance at altitude, in preparation for a possible flight to colorado. Departing austin's airspace to the southeast, I squawked VFR and continued climbing. In an area which I deemed to be free of airways and traffic, I commenced a circling climb. Soon I had reached 10000 ft and soon thereafter, I reached 15000 ft. I was pleased and surprised that the aircraft performed as well as it did, so I continued. At a certain point, the effects of the altitude demanded more attention be given to the fuel mixtures and power/propeller settings. While I was tweaking the mixtures, I inadvertently strayed into class a airspace. I looked at my altimeter and realized my error at 18300 ft (just under). I immediately began a speedy descent, and finally leveled off at 7000 ft. I then realized I also had flown for approximately 10 mins above 14000 ft without oxygen apparatus. Contributing to this event: I was distracted by things inside the cockpit to the exclusion of things outside. Also, my relative inexperience with higher altitude flying showed up in my not recognizing airspace boundaries ahead of time. Also, I should have studied the regulations regarding supplemental oxygen ahead of time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN ENTERED CLASS A AIRSPACE AND OPERATED ABOVE 14000 FT WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN.

Narrative: SEP/SUN/95 I DECIDED TO TAKE OUR FLT SCHOOL'S SEMINOLE (PA44-180) ON A FLT TO DETERMINE ITS PERFORMANCE AT ALT, IN PREPARATION FOR A POSSIBLE FLT TO COLORADO. DEPARTING AUSTIN'S AIRSPACE TO THE SE, I SQUAWKED VFR AND CONTINUED CLBING. IN AN AREA WHICH I DEEMED TO BE FREE OF AIRWAYS AND TFC, I COMMENCED A CIRCLING CLB. SOON I HAD REACHED 10000 FT AND SOON THEREAFTER, I REACHED 15000 FT. I WAS PLEASED AND SURPRISED THAT THE ACFT PERFORMED AS WELL AS IT DID, SO I CONTINUED. AT A CERTAIN POINT, THE EFFECTS OF THE ALT DEMANDED MORE ATTN BE GIVEN TO THE FUEL MIXTURES AND PWR/PROP SETTINGS. WHILE I WAS TWEAKING THE MIXTURES, I INADVERTENTLY STRAYED INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE. I LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER AND REALIZED MY ERROR AT 18300 FT (JUST UNDER). I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A SPEEDY DSCNT, AND FINALLY LEVELED OFF AT 7000 FT. I THEN REALIZED I ALSO HAD FLOWN FOR APPROX 10 MINS ABOVE 14000 FT WITHOUT OXYGEN APPARATUS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT: I WAS DISTRACTED BY THINGS INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO THE EXCLUSION OF THINGS OUTSIDE. ALSO, MY RELATIVE INEXPERIENCE WITH HIGHER ALT FLYING SHOWED UP IN MY NOT RECOGNIZING AIRSPACE BOUNDARIES AHEAD OF TIME. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED THE REGS REGARDING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN AHEAD OF TIME.

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.