<< >> NASA ASRS Report 429320, February 1999

A C172 private pilot climbs above the traffic pattern altitude at Q60 and enters into the class C airspace controled by fat approach control.

Attributes
ACN	429320
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : q60.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 116 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	429320
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in the pattern on takeoff to crosswind, a mental lapse (inattn to altitude) resulted in penetration into class C airspace for approximately 45 seconds to 1 min. The floor of this airspace is at 1600 ft. Radio contact wasn't made with the ATC facility as a result of the inadvertent incursion. Tpa is 1300 ft for this airport. This situation was discovered after taking attention away from engine instruments and discovering the aircraft remained in a climb and penetrated the class C airspace by approximately 1000 ft. A contributing factor is this aircraft is modified to be able to climb at 1500 FPM -- not usual for this make and model -- greater attention is required in this aircraft to airspeed and altitude. Also a factor is the close proximity the pattern of this uncontrolled airport to the class C airspace.

Related reports:

• Air carrier X controled flight toward terrain caused ATC equ...
• Radar altitude separation was lost between an aircraft being...
• Controled flight toward terrain in a A-320. Altitude deviati...
• B757 and B767 had less than legal separation when ARTCC rada...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT CLBS ABOVE THE TFC PATTERN ALT AT Q60 AND ENTERS INTO THE CLASS C AIRSPACE CTLED BY FAT APCH CTL.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE PATTERN ON TKOF TO XWIND, A MENTAL LAPSE (INATTN TO ALT) RESULTED IN PENETRATION INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE FOR APPROX 45 SECONDS TO 1 MIN. THE FLOOR OF THIS AIRSPACE IS AT 1600 FT. RADIO CONTACT WASN'T MADE WITH THE ATC FACILITY AS A RESULT OF THE INADVERTENT INCURSION. TPA IS 1300 FT FOR THIS ARPT. THIS SIT WAS DISCOVERED AFTER TAKING ATTN AWAY FROM ENG INSTS AND DISCOVERING THE ACFT REMAINED IN A CLB AND PENETRATED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE BY APPROX 1000 FT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THIS ACFT IS MODIFIED TO BE ABLE TO CLB AT 1500 FPM -- NOT USUAL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL -- GREATER ATTN IS REQUIRED IN THIS ACFT TO AIRSPD AND ALT. ALSO A FACTOR IS THE CLOSE PROX THE PATTERN OF THIS UNCTLED ARPT TO THE CLASS C AIRSPACE.

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.