An inexperienced C172 felt that he may have come too close to gmu airspace.

Attributes
ACN	438270
Time
Date	199905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 7a1.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl single value : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 136 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	438270
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying alone on a short flight spa to lqk. To avoid the gsp class C and gmu class D airspace I was flying at 1800 ft MSL bearing 243 degrees to SC72 and then continuing to a waypoint just east of 7a1. The waypoint was where this flight path intersected the VOR radial between spa and elw (V266) although I intended to simply recognize it visually by seeing donaldson and turn right on a heading of 285 degrees direct to pickins. I saw donaldson and turned early to intercept the course to pickins. Shortly thereafter I saw greenville gmu and thought I might have accidentally just crossed into its class D airspace. I immediately turned southeast to remain clear. After sufficient distance I turned right again to intercept the planned route to pickins. During this time I did not see any traffic on either gmu or donaldson airports or in my area and I did have a mode C transponder on the entire flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INEXPERIENCED C172 FELT THAT HE MAY HAVE COME TOO CLOSE TO GMU AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ALONE ON A SHORT FLT SPA TO LQK. TO AVOID THE GSP CLASS C AND GMU CLASS D AIRSPACE I WAS FLYING AT 1800 FT MSL BEARING 243 DEGS TO SC72 AND THEN CONTINUING TO A WAYPOINT JUST E OF 7A1. THE WAYPOINT WAS WHERE THIS FLT PATH INTERSECTED THE VOR RADIAL BTWN SPA AND ELW (V266) ALTHOUGH I INTENDED TO SIMPLY RECOGNIZE IT VISUALLY BY SEEING DONALDSON AND TURN R ON A HDG OF 285 DEGS DIRECT TO PICKINS. I SAW DONALDSON AND TURNED EARLY TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE TO PICKINS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I SAW GREENVILLE GMU AND THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY JUST CROSSED INTO ITS CLASS D AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED SE TO REMAIN CLR. AFTER SUFFICIENT DISTANCE I TURNED R AGAIN TO INTERCEPT THE PLANNED RTE TO PICKINS. DURING THIS TIME I DID NOT SEE ANY TFC ON EITHER GMU OR DONALDSON ARPTS OR IN MY AREA AND I DID HAVE A MODE C XPONDER ON THE ENTIRE FLT.

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.