A pilot on a night chkout flight with an instructor inadvertently enters class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	385820
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 75s
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nuw tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 162 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	385820
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	385704
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was doing a nighttime chkout for proficiency and familiarization with the area. We departed harvey (S43), did the required maneuvers and flew to 75S using pilotage (eg, following interstate 5 and various inlets). After dinner and a potty break at skagit bay, we did another set of maneuvers in the area, then departed for harvey. During climb out in the pattern, we heard traffic inbound and the location he was broadcasting was fairly close to us, and we tried looking for the traffic. In doing a few s-turns and looking/communicating, we found the traffic was not where we expected, eg, further out. Unfortunately, neither were we, and in the process drifted into nwu class C airspace. When we realized this, we climbed and exited promptly. Contributing factors: unfamiliarity with the area and pilotage as primary navigation (NDB was inoperative, pae VOR was not being received well). Concern about incoming traffic. I believe we should have stayed in the pattern and broadcast our position more vigilantly -- in addition to crosswind, downwind, indicate end of runway, parallel to, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT ON A NIGHT CHKOUT FLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR INADVERTENTLY ENTERS CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS DOING A NIGHTTIME CHKOUT FOR PROFICIENCY AND FAMILIARIZATION WITH THE AREA. WE DEPARTED HARVEY (S43), DID THE REQUIRED MANEUVERS AND FLEW TO 75S USING PILOTAGE (EG, FOLLOWING INTERSTATE 5 AND VARIOUS INLETS). AFTER DINNER AND A POTTY BREAK AT SKAGIT BAY, WE DID ANOTHER SET OF MANEUVERS IN THE AREA, THEN DEPARTED FOR HARVEY. DURING CLBOUT IN THE PATTERN, WE HEARD TFC INBOUND AND THE LOCATION HE WAS BROADCASTING WAS FAIRLY CLOSE TO US, AND WE TRIED LOOKING FOR THE TFC. IN DOING A FEW S-TURNS AND LOOKING/COMMUNICATING, WE FOUND THE TFC WAS NOT WHERE WE EXPECTED, EG, FURTHER OUT. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER WERE WE, AND IN THE PROCESS DRIFTED INTO NWU CLASS C AIRSPACE. WHEN WE REALIZED THIS, WE CLBED AND EXITED PROMPTLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA AND PILOTAGE AS PRIMARY NAV (NDB WAS INOP, PAE VOR WAS NOT BEING RECEIVED WELL). CONCERN ABOUT INCOMING TFC. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN THE PATTERN AND BROADCAST OUR POS MORE VIGILANTLY -- IN ADDITION TO XWIND, DOWNWIND, INDICATE END OF RWY, PARALLEL TO, ETC.

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.