Small aircraft pilot may have entered class C airspace while on a sightseeing flight.

Attributes
ACN	329180
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 115 flight time type : 39
ASRS Report	329180
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed 1c5 en route to chicago lakefront area (sightseeing trip for son and nephew). Flew south to arrive at lakefront area without violating mdw airspace. Altitude varied from 2000 ft to 2300 ft MSL. VMC conditions, using sectional map. During cruise, I noted some inaccurate indications on attitude indicator. Upon reaching the lakefront, I turned north and proceeded along the lakefront. On the north side of chicago, I turned around and headed south along the shore (2000 ft MSL). At this time the attitude indicator and directional gyro failed (vacuum system failure). I returned to clow without incident. On the return, I flew closer to mdw at 1800 ft MSL to be assured to be below the airspace. After my return upon reviewing the flight, I felt that I may have been further north on the outbound leg than I had originally thought. I am not positive of this, but felt the incident worth reporting. This would have caused me to have violated mdw's airspace without permission. During the flight, there were few aircraft encountered, and none near mdw. I feel that distraction caused by the attitude indicator contributed to this incident as well as error in reading the sectional (i.e., visual navigation).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT MAY HAVE ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WHILE ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT.

Narrative: DEPARTED 1C5 ENRTE TO CHICAGO LAKEFRONT AREA (SIGHTSEEING TRIP FOR SON AND NEPHEW). FLEW S TO ARRIVE AT LAKEFRONT AREA WITHOUT VIOLATING MDW AIRSPACE. ALT VARIED FROM 2000 FT TO 2300 FT MSL. VMC CONDITIONS, USING SECTIONAL MAP. DURING CRUISE, I NOTED SOME INACCURATE INDICATIONS ON ATTITUDE INDICATOR. UPON REACHING THE LAKEFRONT, I TURNED N AND PROCEEDED ALONG THE LAKEFRONT. ON THE N SIDE OF CHICAGO, I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED S ALONG THE SHORE (2000 FT MSL). AT THIS TIME THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND DIRECTIONAL GYRO FAILED (VACUUM SYS FAILURE). I RETURNED TO CLOW WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE RETURN, I FLEW CLOSER TO MDW AT 1800 FT MSL TO BE ASSURED TO BE BELOW THE AIRSPACE. AFTER MY RETURN UPON REVIEWING THE FLT, I FELT THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN FURTHER N ON THE OUTBOUND LEG THAN I HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. I AM NOT POSITIVE OF THIS, BUT FELT THE INCIDENT WORTH RPTING. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE VIOLATED MDW'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT PERMISSION. DURING THE FLT, THERE WERE FEW ACFT ENCOUNTERED, AND NONE NEAR MDW. I FEEL THAT DISTR CAUSED BY THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT AS WELL AS ERROR IN READING THE SECTIONAL (I.E., VISUAL NAV).

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.