Small aircraft pilot doing maneuvers for research flight enters class C airspace without contact. In...

Attributes
ACN	340500
Time
Date	199606
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 484 flight time type : 58
ASRS Report	340500
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	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:

I met the instructor at the airport. She is doing a study on pilots who don't fly often to determine which skills deteriorate first. She works at ohio state university, and usually flies out of osu, not cmh. I showed her the practice area on the sectional. She had a test plan including hood work, slow flight, stalls, VOR orientation -- which required an altitude of 3000 ft (about 2000 ft AGL). I called clearance delivery for a northbound trip to the practice area at 3000 ft. It was granted. Normally, the instructors in my club ask for 2500 ft. Shortly after takeoff, I went under the hood. After a while (which I felt was too short) she said that we were in the practice area. To confirm, I asked her if we were outside I-270 (which is near the boundary of the class C at 2500 ft MSL). She said we were in the clear. I was still under the hood, and asked departure for a frequency change. The controller said that he couldn't authority/authorized any maneuvers yet, but canceled radar service, squawk 1200, etc. She had me first do a right 180 degree turn, followed by one to the left. I didn't realize that we were probably still in the class C. We did the rest of the test plan, mostly at 3000 ft MSL, with some parts (emergency landing, etc) down to about 2000 ft MSL. We were done, so I called to columbus approach. I thought we were 15 NM north, 2800 ft MSL -- the controller said that we were 5 mi north, in the class C. I had looked at the wrong reservoir to determine my position. I was somewhat disoriented. The controller handed us off to a different controller for sequencing, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. There were several factors that contributed to this problem. I was rusty on reservoir identify. The instructor wasn't familiar with the practice area. If we had been at 2500 ft MSL, we would have been outside the class C -- I usually operate at 2500 ft to/from the practice area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DOING MANEUVERS FOR RESEARCH FLT ENTERS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACT. INSTRUCTOR PLT WITH HIM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

Narrative: I MET THE INSTRUCTOR AT THE ARPT. SHE IS DOING A STUDY ON PLTS WHO DON'T FLY OFTEN TO DETERMINE WHICH SKILLS DETERIORATE FIRST. SHE WORKS AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND USUALLY FLIES OUT OF OSU, NOT CMH. I SHOWED HER THE PRACTICE AREA ON THE SECTIONAL. SHE HAD A TEST PLAN INCLUDING HOOD WORK, SLOW FLT, STALLS, VOR ORIENTATION -- WHICH REQUIRED AN ALT OF 3000 FT (ABOUT 2000 FT AGL). I CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY FOR A NBOUND TRIP TO THE PRACTICE AREA AT 3000 FT. IT WAS GRANTED. NORMALLY, THE INSTRUCTORS IN MY CLUB ASK FOR 2500 FT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, I WENT UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER A WHILE (WHICH I FELT WAS TOO SHORT) SHE SAID THAT WE WERE IN THE PRACTICE AREA. TO CONFIRM, I ASKED HER IF WE WERE OUTSIDE I-270 (WHICH IS NEAR THE BOUNDARY OF THE CLASS C AT 2500 FT MSL). SHE SAID WE WERE IN THE CLR. I WAS STILL UNDER THE HOOD, AND ASKED DEP FOR A FREQ CHANGE. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE COULDN'T AUTH ANY MANEUVERS YET, BUT CANCELED RADAR SVC, SQUAWK 1200, ETC. SHE HAD ME FIRST DO A R 180 DEG TURN, FOLLOWED BY ONE TO THE L. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE WERE PROBABLY STILL IN THE CLASS C. WE DID THE REST OF THE TEST PLAN, MOSTLY AT 3000 FT MSL, WITH SOME PARTS (EMER LNDG, ETC) DOWN TO ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. WE WERE DONE, SO I CALLED TO COLUMBUS APCH. I THOUGHT WE WERE 15 NM N, 2800 FT MSL -- THE CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE 5 MI N, IN THE CLASS C. I HAD LOOKED AT THE WRONG RESERVOIR TO DETERMINE MY POS. I WAS SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED. THE CTLR HANDED US OFF TO A DIFFERENT CTLR FOR SEQUENCING, AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROB. I WAS RUSTY ON RESERVOIR IDENT. THE INSTRUCTOR WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PRACTICE AREA. IF WE HAD BEEN AT 2500 FT MSL, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE THE CLASS C -- I USUALLY OPERATE AT 2500 FT TO/FROM THE PRACTICE AREA.

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.

Small aircraft pilot doing maneuvers for research flight enters class C airspace without contact. Instructor pilot with him not familiar with the area.