A private pilot in a C172 night operation incurs an airspace violation, entering the class C airspac...

Attributes
ACN	538658
Time
Date	200202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hwd.tower tower : sql.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 196 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	538658
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was sbound following highway 680 to sunol to return to sql. In retrospect, I mistook highway 580 west for highway 680 at sunol. I turned wbound and compounded my error by mistaking san mateo bridge for dumbarton. I was in contact with sql tower but they were unable to find me after recycling transponder and identify. At that point I realized I was over an airport -- hayward, I thought. I set hayward tower 120.2 and called tower. Hayward tower responded. I told them I believed myself to be in their airspace. I idented transponder. I heard hwd tower talking to helicopter, but I heard nothing more from them. At this point I saw oakland runway 29 and realized I was in class C airspace. I had already turned south and was approaching midspan san mateo bridge. At that point I went back to sql tower and landed at sql. I was asked to call oak tower, which I promptly did, talking to supervisor. Conclusion: I have 11 hours night flight. I was paying too much attention to instruments and not enough to my location. Before I do any more night flying, I need to spend several more hours with a CFI to improve my situational awareness at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT IN A C172 NIGHT OP INCURS AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION, ENTERING THE CLASS C AIRSPACE OF OAK, CA.

Narrative: I WAS SBOUND FOLLOWING HWY 680 TO SUNOL TO RETURN TO SQL. IN RETROSPECT, I MISTOOK HWY 580 W FOR HWY 680 AT SUNOL. I TURNED WBOUND AND COMPOUNDED MY ERROR BY MISTAKING SAN MATEO BRIDGE FOR DUMBARTON. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH SQL TWR BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ME AFTER RECYCLING XPONDER AND IDENT. AT THAT POINT I REALIZED I WAS OVER AN ARPT -- HAYWARD, I THOUGHT. I SET HAYWARD TWR 120.2 AND CALLED TWR. HAYWARD TWR RESPONDED. I TOLD THEM I BELIEVED MYSELF TO BE IN THEIR AIRSPACE. I IDENTED XPONDER. I HEARD HWD TWR TALKING TO HELI, BUT I HEARD NOTHING MORE FROM THEM. AT THIS POINT I SAW OAKLAND RWY 29 AND REALIZED I WAS IN CLASS C AIRSPACE. I HAD ALREADY TURNED S AND WAS APCHING MIDSPAN SAN MATEO BRIDGE. AT THAT POINT I WENT BACK TO SQL TWR AND LANDED AT SQL. I WAS ASKED TO CALL OAK TWR, WHICH I PROMPTLY DID, TALKING TO SUPVR. CONCLUSION: I HAVE 11 HRS NIGHT FLT. I WAS PAYING TOO MUCH ATTN TO INSTS AND NOT ENOUGH TO MY LOCATION. BEFORE I DO ANY MORE NIGHT FLYING, I NEED TO SPEND SEVERAL MORE HRS WITH A CFI TO IMPROVE MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AT NIGHT.

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.

A private pilot in a C172 night operation incurs an airspace violation, entering the class C airspace of oak, ca.