Unauthorized penetration of class C airspace of rsw by a BE76 CFI on a night cross country from fmy,...

Attributes
ACN	545898
Time
Date	200204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rsw.vortac
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Duchess 76
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	545898
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory 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 Environmental Factor Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had just landed at fmy on an IFR cross country. We taxied back and took off on our return flight. I called ft myers approach trying to obtain our clearance back to ft pierce. Passing about 1500 ft MSL, I was able to make contact with approach. The controller asked my location. He then informed me that I had violated the class C airspace. At this point, I had been flying for a few hours and was tired. I didn't realize that I was that close. I turned north and rechked my chart by using a white flashlight. I had been using a blue flashlight up to this point. When using the white light, I could clearly see the class C. I use commercial charts and they depict class C in blue, so with my blue flashlight it was invisible to me. The major factor that led to the incident was fatigue and low situational awareness. The blue light was a contributing factor. I now use a dim white light so I can see clearly but still maintain night vision. And I pay much more attention to my level of alertness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE OF RSW BY A BE76 CFI ON A NIGHT XCOUNTRY FROM FMY, FL.

Narrative: I HAD JUST LANDED AT FMY ON AN IFR XCOUNTRY. WE TAXIED BACK AND TOOK OFF ON OUR RETURN FLT. I CALLED FT MYERS APCH TRYING TO OBTAIN OUR CLRNC BACK TO FT PIERCE. PASSING ABOUT 1500 FT MSL, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH APCH. THE CTLR ASKED MY LOCATION. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. AT THIS POINT, I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR A FEW HRS AND WAS TIRED. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I WAS THAT CLOSE. I TURNED N AND RECHKED MY CHART BY USING A WHITE FLASHLIGHT. I HAD BEEN USING A BLUE FLASHLIGHT UP TO THIS POINT. WHEN USING THE WHITE LIGHT, I COULD CLRLY SEE THE CLASS C. I USE COMMERCIAL CHARTS AND THEY DEPICT CLASS C IN BLUE, SO WITH MY BLUE FLASHLIGHT IT WAS INVISIBLE TO ME. THE MAJOR FACTOR THAT LED TO THE INCIDENT WAS FATIGUE AND LOW SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. THE BLUE LIGHT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I NOW USE A DIM WHITE LIGHT SO I CAN SEE CLRLY BUT STILL MAINTAIN NIGHT VISION. AND I PAY MUCH MORE ATTN TO MY LEVEL OF ALERTNESS.

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.

Unauthorized penetration of class C airspace of rsw by a BE76 CFI on a night cross country from fmy, fl.