A student pilot was flying an small aircraft on his solo cross country flight. He intended to get permission to fly through the bdl class C but had radio problems. He entered the arsa without clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	370028
Time
Date	199705
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl airport : hvn
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : instructional
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 : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 44 flight time type : 44
ASRS Report	370028
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 870 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	369930
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying back from new haven, ct, to barnes airport, ma, at 5500 ft. Since I was crossing or at least coming close to bradley, I tried to contact them for flight following. I could understand them over my radio, but they could not understand me. Since on my first flight at a lower altitude, I could reach them, I decided to descend. In fact, at 3500 ft they were able to hear me clearly. I didn't realize at that time that I was not yet cleared for the airspace, but that I was already inside. I was very close to bradley airport already and I realized that I had made a big mistake. Approach told me to squawk a code and fly a straight heading. As I mentioned, I realized too late that I entered class C airspace without having established 2-WAY radio communications. I should have stayed at 5500 ft or test other radios for misfunction, or I should have flown around the airspace. This came unfortunately too late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT WAS FLYING AN SMA ON HIS SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. HE INTENDED TO GET PERMISSION TO FLY THROUGH THE BDL CLASS C BUT HAD RADIO PROBS. HE ENTERED THE ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING BACK FROM NEW HAVEN, CT, TO BARNES ARPT, MA, AT 5500 FT. SINCE I WAS XING OR AT LEAST COMING CLOSE TO BRADLEY, I TRIED TO CONTACT THEM FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM OVER MY RADIO, BUT THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND ME. SINCE ON MY FIRST FLT AT A LOWER ALT, I COULD REACH THEM, I DECIDED TO DSND. IN FACT, AT 3500 FT THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR ME CLRLY. I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THAT TIME THAT I WAS NOT YET CLRED FOR THE AIRSPACE, BUT THAT I WAS ALREADY INSIDE. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BRADLEY ARPT ALREADY AND I REALIZED THAT I HAD MADE A BIG MISTAKE. APCH TOLD ME TO SQUAWK A CODE AND FLY A STRAIGHT HDG. AS I MENTIONED, I REALIZED TOO LATE THAT I ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT HAVING ESTABLISHED 2-WAY RADIO COMS. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT 5500 FT OR TEST OTHER RADIOS FOR MISFUNCTION, OR I SHOULD HAVE FLOWN AROUND THE AIRSPACE. THIS CAME UNFORTUNATELY TOO LATE.

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.