Narrative:

While flying from smq direct pne, I became disoriented. I was cruising at 1500 ft MSL to remain below the clouds. I began a slow turn to the right to look for a landmark to navigation by. I glanced to my left and noticed an airport with a control tower about 5 SM away. I determined that this was the trenton/mercer airport and began an immediate climbing turn to avoid any further or possible violation of their airspace. I believe that WX contributed to the incident by forcing me to remain at a low altitude to avoid clouds. Complacency also allowed me to fly without making frequent enough position checks. I am still not certain if I had violated the ttn class D airspace because of the disorientation -- I am not sure of the exact position of the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR PA38-181 PLT ON A DIRECT PILOTAGE FLT ENTERS THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AT TTN, NJ.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FROM SMQ DIRECT PNE, I BECAME DISORIENTED. I WAS CRUISING AT 1500 FT MSL TO REMAIN BELOW THE CLOUDS. I BEGAN A SLOW TURN TO THE R TO LOOK FOR A LANDMARK TO NAV BY. I GLANCED TO MY L AND NOTICED AN ARPT WITH A CTL TWR ABOUT 5 SM AWAY. I DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS THE TRENTON/MERCER ARPT AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLBING TURN TO AVOID ANY FURTHER OR POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF THEIR AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE THAT WX CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT BY FORCING ME TO REMAIN AT A LOW ALT TO AVOID CLOUDS. COMPLACENCY ALSO ALLOWED ME TO FLY WITHOUT MAKING FREQUENT ENOUGH POS CHKS. I AM STILL NOT CERTAIN IF I HAD VIOLATED THE TTN CLASS D AIRSPACE BECAUSE OF THE DISORIENTATION -- I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT POS OF THE ACFT.

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.