C172RG pilot entered maf class C after being distracted by the landing gear warning horn.

Attributes
ACN	541912
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : maf.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 4100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : maf.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12.7 flight time total : 490.7 flight time type : 18.1
ASRS Report	541912
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : overshoot maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : installation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was training for my CFI, the C172RG was a rental aircraft and the aircraft in which I had received my commercial license in 2000. The C172RG had been in the shop for repair of the landing gear, but it had been flying a couple of weeks, and I was aware of this fact. On takeoff, after determining that I could no longer land on the runway, I placed the gear lever in the up position. At this point the gear warning horn activated. I waited until I turned crosswind and then downwind at which point I recycled the gear and as soon as the gear came back up the horn began again. At this point knowing class C airspace (maf) began at 4400 ft I did a quick check of my altimeter which indicated 4200 ft, so I used down trim and closed the throttle a 'bit.' at this point I recycled the gear again and the problem persisted at which point I decided to turn base and return to the airport. At this point I was between 2-3 mi from the airport (mdd). As I turned base, I noted I was high in relationship to the runway and looked at the altimeter which read just under 4500 ft, so I immediately pulled power to idle and began applying down pressure and trim to get under class C airspace. I believe I was at 100 ft over for about 1-2 mins. The return to the airport and the landing were uneventful. Even though I had planned on contacting maf for the period of time I would be in the 'practice area,' I had not contacted them because I had never left the traffic pattern at mdd and had not intended on invading their airspace. I believe that in addition to working the problem with the warning horn, the fact that I've been flying C172 with at 150 horsepower and had just gotten back in the C172RG at 180 horsepower, helped contribute to this event. Even though I'd made note of my altitude initially, did an adjustment in an attempt to stay under class C, I believe with the difference in the performance of the 2 aircraft that in the C172 I would have been okay, but I simply did not make enough of a correction for the rg and did not check it again until turning base, which was probably only a period of less than 1 min.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172RG PLT ENTERED MAF CLASS C AFTER BEING DISTRACTED BY THE LNDG GEAR WARNING HORN.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING FOR MY CFI, THE C172RG WAS A RENTAL ACFT AND THE ACFT IN WHICH I HAD RECEIVED MY COMMERCIAL LICENSE IN 2000. THE C172RG HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR OF THE LNDG GEAR, BUT IT HAD BEEN FLYING A COUPLE OF WKS, AND I WAS AWARE OF THIS FACT. ON TKOF, AFTER DETERMINING THAT I COULD NO LONGER LAND ON THE RWY, I PLACED THE GEAR LEVER IN THE UP POS. AT THIS POINT THE GEAR WARNING HORN ACTIVATED. I WAITED UNTIL I TURNED XWIND AND THEN DOWNWIND AT WHICH POINT I RECYCLED THE GEAR AND AS SOON AS THE GEAR CAME BACK UP THE HORN BEGAN AGAIN. AT THIS POINT KNOWING CLASS C AIRSPACE (MAF) BEGAN AT 4400 FT I DID A QUICK CHK OF MY ALTIMETER WHICH INDICATED 4200 FT, SO I USED DOWN TRIM AND CLOSED THE THROTTLE A 'BIT.' AT THIS POINT I RECYCLED THE GEAR AGAIN AND THE PROB PERSISTED AT WHICH POINT I DECIDED TO TURN BASE AND RETURN TO THE ARPT. AT THIS POINT I WAS BTWN 2-3 MI FROM THE ARPT (MDD). AS I TURNED BASE, I NOTED I WAS HIGH IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE RWY AND LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER WHICH READ JUST UNDER 4500 FT, SO I IMMEDIATELY PULLED PWR TO IDLE AND BEGAN APPLYING DOWN PRESSURE AND TRIM TO GET UNDER CLASS C AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE I WAS AT 100 FT OVER FOR ABOUT 1-2 MINS. THE RETURN TO THE ARPT AND THE LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. EVEN THOUGH I HAD PLANNED ON CONTACTING MAF FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME I WOULD BE IN THE 'PRACTICE AREA,' I HAD NOT CONTACTED THEM BECAUSE I HAD NEVER LEFT THE TFC PATTERN AT MDD AND HAD NOT INTENDED ON INVADING THEIR AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE THAT IN ADDITION TO WORKING THE PROB WITH THE WARNING HORN, THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN FLYING C172 WITH AT 150 HORSEPOWER AND HAD JUST GOTTEN BACK IN THE C172RG AT 180 HORSEPOWER, HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THIS EVENT. EVEN THOUGH I'D MADE NOTE OF MY ALT INITIALLY, DID AN ADJUSTMENT IN AN ATTEMPT TO STAY UNDER CLASS C, I BELIEVE WITH THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE 2 ACFT THAT IN THE C172 I WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY, BUT I SIMPLY DID NOT MAKE ENOUGH OF A CORRECTION FOR THE RG AND DID NOT CHK IT AGAIN UNTIL TURNING BASE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY ONLY A PERIOD OF LESS THAN 1 MIN.

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.