Pilot of a piper PA28-151 entered class C airspace prior to establishing contact with approach contr...

Attributes
ACN	429609
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fat.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	429609
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

No conflicting traffic. As I was navigating to fat, I was trying to contact approach control prior to entering the class C airspace and knew I was at 10 mi (just outside the vail) and communication radio #2 wasn't transmitting. As I was trying to contact prior to entering, after changing radios, contact was made and I was 9 mi from fat, just inside the vail. (I squawked the problem with the flight school.) I should try to contact approach earlier, become more familiar with operations, chkpoints.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA28-151 ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH APCH CTL.

Narrative: NO CONFLICTING TFC. AS I WAS NAVING TO FAT, I WAS TRYING TO CONTACT APCH CTL PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AND KNEW I WAS AT 10 MI (JUST OUTSIDE THE VAIL) AND COM RADIO #2 WASN'T XMITTING. AS I WAS TRYING TO CONTACT PRIOR TO ENTERING, AFTER CHANGING RADIOS, CONTACT WAS MADE AND I WAS 9 MI FROM FAT, JUST INSIDE THE VAIL. (I SQUAWKED THE PROB WITH THE FLT SCHOOL.) I SHOULD TRY TO CONTACT APCH EARLIER, BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH OPS, CHKPOINTS.

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.

Pilot of a piper PA28-151 entered class C airspace prior to establishing contact with approach control.