VFR GA aircraft penetrates floor of pbi class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	461331
Time
Date	200001
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lna.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	461331
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	461320
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : #2 (obs)962
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed lna wbound, as PF, I commenced a climb to the west to stay clear of class C airspace. Climbing through 900 ft, PNF made contact with pbi approach. I was anticipating a squawk code and clearance through class C and was distraction by my looking for 3 high unlit towers that me and the PNF did not have in sight. I continued a climb through 1200 ft to avoid the towers, and when controller came back with squawk code, aircraft was at 1900 ft and we were told to stay clear of class C airspace. I immediately commenced a descent to 1100 ft MSL. No conflict resulted from penetration and when clear to west, the flight requested a VFR squawk and frequency change. In the future when flying with another pilot in aircraft, I will brief the departure as is done in air carrier operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR GA ACFT PENETRATES FLOOR OF PBI CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTED LNA WBOUND, AS PF, I COMMENCED A CLB TO THE W TO STAY CLR OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. CLBING THROUGH 900 FT, PNF MADE CONTACT WITH PBI APCH. I WAS ANTICIPATING A SQUAWK CODE AND CLRNC THROUGH CLASS C AND WAS DISTR BY MY LOOKING FOR 3 HIGH UNLIT TWRS THAT ME AND THE PNF DID NOT HAVE IN SIGHT. I CONTINUED A CLB THROUGH 1200 FT TO AVOID THE TWRS, AND WHEN CTLR CAME BACK WITH SQUAWK CODE, ACFT WAS AT 1900 FT AND WE WERE TOLD TO STAY CLR OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED A DSCNT TO 1100 FT MSL. NO CONFLICT RESULTED FROM PENETRATION AND WHEN CLR TO W, THE FLT REQUESTED A VFR SQUAWK AND FREQ CHANGE. IN THE FUTURE WHEN FLYING WITH ANOTHER PLT IN ACFT, I WILL BRIEF THE DEP AS IS DONE IN ACR OPS.

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.