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Small aircraft pilot inadvertently climbed into class C airspace when becoming distracted with setting up a portable GPS navigation radio to replace the aircraft GPS that had just failed. He descended at once after noticing his altitude excursion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 535589 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200201 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lnk.airport |
| State Reference | NE |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2800 msl single value : 9 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lnk.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Maule Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 120 |
| ASRS Report | 535589 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
GPS failed while flying at 2500 ft MSL below class C airspace. While getting spare GPS from bag in rear seat and hooking up antenna, aircraft climbed into base of class C airspace. As soon as I noticed the error I descended to 2500 ft MSL. I was monitoring 121.5 and received no calls, nor saw any aircraft. Contributing factor was a tfr nearby. I wanted to regain GPS position to remain clear. I should have been more concerned with keeping out of the class C rather than clear of the tfr.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY CLBED INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE WHEN BECOMING DISTRACTED WITH SETTING UP A PORTABLE GPS NAV RADIO TO REPLACE THE ACFT GPS THAT HAD JUST FAILED. HE DSNDED AT ONCE AFTER NOTICING HIS ALT EXCURSION.
Narrative: GPS FAILED WHILE FLYING AT 2500 FT MSL BELOW CLASS C AIRSPACE. WHILE GETTING SPARE GPS FROM BAG IN REAR SEAT AND HOOKING UP ANTENNA, ACFT CLBED INTO BASE OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. AS SOON AS I NOTICED THE ERROR I DSNDED TO 2500 FT MSL. I WAS MONITORING 121.5 AND RECEIVED NO CALLS, NOR SAW ANY ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS A TFR NEARBY. I WANTED TO REGAIN GPS POS TO REMAIN CLR. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONCERNED WITH KEEPING OUT OF THE CLASS C RATHER THAN CLR OF THE TFR.
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.