BE35 pilot enters mli class C airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	428791
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mli.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mli.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
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	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 98 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 89
ASRS Report	428791
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying VFR GPS direct from eye, indianapolis to fsd, sioux falls, I inadvertently entered the moline quad city (mli) airspace without communication with approach. I discovered the violation when I saw the airport and knew that there was no major airport on the route that I thought that I was flying. I immediately turned southwest to stay away from the airport to the greatest extent possible. I punched my 'nearest' button on the GPS, and it said I was 3.9 mi from mli. I contacted cedar rapids approach and they told me to call quad city approach when I reached fsd. I did this. After much reflection, I came up with the following, which I am aware is no excuse. Contributing factors: using air chart system WAC chart, which cut off moline to the next page I was navigating on. I typically use a sectional. Failure on my part to verify my location properly. I thought I was east of the bradford VOR, well out of class C airspace. Failure on my part to utilize flight following. Failure on my part to use my equipment properly. Cruising at a low altitude made me keep my eyes outside the cockpit more than normal, so I should have done better preflight planning and noted which class C airspace I would be near. To avoid future violations I will obtain my instrument rating so I am constantly in contact. Utilize flight following whenever possible. Use sectionals. Spend more time planning. Do a better job of verifying my location.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT ENTERS MLI CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR GPS DIRECT FROM EYE, INDIANAPOLIS TO FSD, SIOUX FALLS, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE MOLINE QUAD CITY (MLI) AIRSPACE WITHOUT COM WITH APCH. I DISCOVERED THE VIOLATION WHEN I SAW THE ARPT AND KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO MAJOR ARPT ON THE RTE THAT I THOUGHT THAT I WAS FLYING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED SW TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ARPT TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. I PUNCHED MY 'NEAREST' BUTTON ON THE GPS, AND IT SAID I WAS 3.9 MI FROM MLI. I CONTACTED CEDAR RAPIDS APCH AND THEY TOLD ME TO CALL QUAD CITY APCH WHEN I REACHED FSD. I DID THIS. AFTER MUCH REFLECTION, I CAME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING, WHICH I AM AWARE IS NO EXCUSE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: USING AIR CHART SYS WAC CHART, WHICH CUT OFF MOLINE TO THE NEXT PAGE I WAS NAVING ON. I TYPICALLY USE A SECTIONAL. FAILURE ON MY PART TO VERIFY MY LOCATION PROPERLY. I THOUGHT I WAS E OF THE BRADFORD VOR, WELL OUT OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. FAILURE ON MY PART TO UTILIZE FLT FOLLOWING. FAILURE ON MY PART TO USE MY EQUIP PROPERLY. CRUISING AT A LOW ALT MADE ME KEEP MY EYES OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT MORE THAN NORMAL, SO I SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER PREFLT PLANNING AND NOTED WHICH CLASS C AIRSPACE I WOULD BE NEAR. TO AVOID FUTURE VIOLATIONS I WILL OBTAIN MY INST RATING SO I AM CONSTANTLY IN CONTACT. UTILIZE FLT FOLLOWING WHENEVER POSSIBLE. USE SECTIONALS. SPEND MORE TIME PLANNING. DO A BETTER JOB OF VERIFYING MY LOCATION.

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.