An small aircraft pilot entered class 'C' inadvertently.

Attributes
ACN	317630
Time
Date	199510
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg airport : sff
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	317630
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departure from felts field in spokane, for a VFR flight to mcminnville, I called spokane approach for VFR flight following. Approach asked if I was familiar with spokane class C airspace, to which I replied 'affirmative.' approach then said I should I should have contacted them prior to entering class 'C' airspace. I thought that I had not entered class 'C' airspace, but apparently was closer to the primary airport when starting my climb than I thought. Flying an unfamiliar aircraft may have distracted me from accuracy in pilotage. I also feel that filing an IFR flight plan in this case would have been a good way to insure proper routing and altitude compliance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT ENTERED CLASS 'C' INADVERTENTLY.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM FELTS FIELD IN SPOKANE, FOR A VFR FLT TO MCMINNVILLE, I CALLED SPOKANE APCH FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING. APCH ASKED IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH SPOKANE CLASS C AIRSPACE, TO WHICH I REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' APCH THEN SAID I SHOULD I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED THEM PRIOR TO ENTERING CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD NOT ENTERED CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE, BUT APPARENTLY WAS CLOSER TO THE PRIMARY ARPT WHEN STARTING MY CLB THAN I THOUGHT. FLYING AN UNFAMILIAR ACFT MAY HAVE DISTRACTED ME FROM ACCURACY IN PILOTAGE. I ALSO FEEL THAT FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN IN THIS CASE WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD WAY TO INSURE PROPER ROUTING AND ALT COMPLIANCE.

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.