C185 pilot enters nkt airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	426668
Time
Date	199901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nkt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	426668
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After having departed from mrh, I was setting the aircraft up for cruise flight at 2000 ft. The plan that I had made was going to take me close to nkt, but I thought I could watch carefully to avoid the control zone. A fairly thick layer of haze was beginning to build up shortly after takeoff, and mrh and nkt are within 10 mi of one another. Usually, I can see and avoid nkt's airspace. However, with the haze beginning to form, I was trying to stay away from that (it was coming from the southwest) and I was looking at my charts to get a better idea of where exactly I was. By the time I realized, I was closer to cherry point than I thought. Apparently, with me concentrating on the haze layer and charts, I forgot the primary thing in flying -- to fly the plane. I departed the airspace as quickly as possible. All of this could have been avoided if I was paying more attention to nkt and/or used flight following, or flown over the control zone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C185 PLT ENTERS NKT AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER HAVING DEPARTED FROM MRH, I WAS SETTING THE ACFT UP FOR CRUISE FLT AT 2000 FT. THE PLAN THAT I HAD MADE WAS GOING TO TAKE ME CLOSE TO NKT, BUT I THOUGHT I COULD WATCH CAREFULLY TO AVOID THE CTL ZONE. A FAIRLY THICK LAYER OF HAZE WAS BEGINNING TO BUILD UP SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, AND MRH AND NKT ARE WITHIN 10 MI OF ONE ANOTHER. USUALLY, I CAN SEE AND AVOID NKT'S AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, WITH THE HAZE BEGINNING TO FORM, I WAS TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT (IT WAS COMING FROM THE SW) AND I WAS LOOKING AT MY CHARTS TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE EXACTLY I WAS. BY THE TIME I REALIZED, I WAS CLOSER TO CHERRY POINT THAN I THOUGHT. APPARENTLY, WITH ME CONCENTRATING ON THE HAZE LAYER AND CHARTS, I FORGOT THE PRIMARY THING IN FLYING -- TO FLY THE PLANE. I DEPARTED THE AIRSPACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I WAS PAYING MORE ATTN TO NKT AND/OR USED FLT FOLLOWING, OR FLOWN OVER THE CTL ZONE.

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.