Narrative:

Eye tissue xfer from effingham, il, to axb. Flight originally showed path to be clear of xz airport. Was in contact with ZZZ approach, and was given a heading that would take me across north side of ZZZ. This was first trip to this particular location, and was flying an aircraft with somewhat different avionics set up from aircraft normally flown, (in maintenance), so I was concentrating on approach instructions and tuning radios, and didn't realize I had penetrated zy class D airspace until approach ZZZ indicated 'radar contact 4 1/2 mi south of zy airport.' my assigned heading (250 degrees) took me clear of the class D within a few seconds, and I noticed no traffic conflicts at that time. About that time I was switched to xz tower for vectors through traffic, and I did not contact xy tower as I was clear of the air traffic area by that time. I should have planned for the possibility that I would be vectored through the xy class D space, but I let myself become distracted and lost positional awareness. In the future I will plan for 'changes of plans,' have frequencys that I may need readily available, and keep track of my position more closely, especially in an urban area with numerous small airports in the area. It is also easy to forget that even though you are in contact with approach and being vectored, you still have the responsibility of contacting other controling agencies when you enter their airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN EMS HELI FLEW THROUGH CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TWR WHILE IN CONTACT WITH THE AREA APCH CTL FACILITY.

Narrative: EYE TISSUE XFER FROM EFFINGHAM, IL, TO AXB. FLT ORIGINALLY SHOWED PATH TO BE CLR OF XZ ARPT. WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZZZ APCH, AND WAS GIVEN A HEADING THAT WOULD TAKE ME ACROSS N SIDE OF ZZZ. THIS WAS FIRST TRIP TO THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, AND WAS FLYING AN ACFT WITH SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT AVIONICS SET UP FROM ACFT NORMALLY FLOWN, (IN MAINT), SO I WAS CONCENTRATING ON APCH INSTRUCTIONS AND TUNING RADIOS, AND DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD PENETRATED ZY CLASS D AIRSPACE UNTIL APCH ZZZ INDICATED 'RADAR CONTACT 4 1/2 MI S OF ZY ARPT.' MY ASSIGNED HEADING (250 DEGS) TOOK ME CLR OF THE CLASS D WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, AND I NOTICED NO TFC CONFLICTS AT THAT TIME. ABOUT THAT TIME I WAS SWITCHED TO XZ TWR FOR VECTORS THROUGH TFC, AND I DID NOT CONTACT XY TWR AS I WAS CLR OF THE ATA BY THAT TIME. I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT I WOULD BE VECTORED THROUGH THE XY CLASS D SPACE, BUT I LET MYSELF BECOME DISTRACTED AND LOST POSITIONAL AWARENESS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL PLAN FOR 'CHANGES OF PLANS,' HAVE FREQS THAT I MAY NEED READILY AVAILABLE, AND KEEP TRACK OF MY POS MORE CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY IN AN URBAN AREA WITH NUMEROUS SMALL ARPTS IN THE AREA. IT IS ALSO EASY TO FORGET THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE IN CONTACT WITH APCH AND BEING VECTORED, YOU STILL HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTACTING OTHER CTLING AGENCIES WHEN YOU ENTER THEIR 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.