A private pilot, flying a C172, blundered in to gyy class D airspace.

Attributes
ACN	496640
Time
Date	200101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gyy.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon tower : gyy.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 219 flight time type : 219
ASRS Report	496640
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight departed igq at XA10. A student pilot was flying from the right seat, while I naved from the left. Following the wbound departure, the aircraft was turned left to a heading of north. While attempting to contact chicago approach for flight following, I neglected to contact gary tower. The flight was west of the airport when I saw the field. The GPS indicated that the flight was 3.2 NM west of gyy. Both pilots are currently enrolled in the part 141 flight school. The student pilot is unfamiliar with flying the VFR corridors around the ord class B airspace. I have flown those rtes less than 5 times myself. Though not within the past yr. Past WX may have been a factor. Storms over the past week have covered the area in a solid blanket of snow. Removal has been difficult, and many airports reported patches of snow still on runways. I noticed at other airports in the area that this produced a camouflaging effect on the runways. I believe such an effect prevented early sighting of the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT, FLYING A C172, BLUNDERED IN TO GYY CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE FLT DEPARTED IGQ AT XA10. A STUDENT PLT WAS FLYING FROM THE R SEAT, WHILE I NAVED FROM THE L. FOLLOWING THE WBOUND DEP, THE ACFT WAS TURNED L TO A HDG OF N. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT CHICAGO APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING, I NEGLECTED TO CONTACT GARY TWR. THE FLT WAS W OF THE ARPT WHEN I SAW THE FIELD. THE GPS INDICATED THAT THE FLT WAS 3.2 NM W OF GYY. BOTH PLTS ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE PART 141 FLT SCHOOL. THE STUDENT PLT IS UNFAMILIAR WITH FLYING THE VFR CORRIDORS AROUND THE ORD CLASS B AIRSPACE. I HAVE FLOWN THOSE RTES LESS THAN 5 TIMES MYSELF. THOUGH NOT WITHIN THE PAST YR. PAST WX MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. STORMS OVER THE PAST WK HAVE COVERED THE AREA IN A SOLID BLANKET OF SNOW. REMOVAL HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, AND MANY ARPTS RPTED PATCHES OF SNOW STILL ON RWYS. I NOTICED AT OTHER ARPTS IN THE AREA THAT THIS PRODUCED A CAMOUFLAGING EFFECT ON THE RWYS. I BELIEVE SUCH AN EFFECT PREVENTED EARLY SIGHTING OF THE ARPT.

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.