Unauthorized uncoord airspace penetration. A low time student pilot in a C172 on his first solo cros...

Attributes
ACN	577929
Time
Date	200303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ffo.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day.tracon tower : sgh.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35.6 flight time total : 49.9 flight time type : 49.9
ASRS Report	577929
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On my first student solo cross country flight, I was flying from luk to sgh direct. I noticed being substantially east of course soon after departure. I got back on course, resumed my calculated heading, and again noticed I was east of desired course halfway to sgh. Again, getting back on course, I resumed my original heading. Approaching what I thought was xenia, but which I later figured was a small town to the east, I called sgh tower saying I was over xenia, inbound to land. Soon after this, since I could not see sgh, which should have been directly ahead of me, I entered sgh into the onboard GPS and saw that I was moving away from the airport. I then turned west, and the distance to the airport began to decrease. About this time, sgh tower contacted me and asked for my position. I told them I wasn't sure. They contacted dayton approach, had me identify, and told me I was directly east of the airport, and to turn to 270 degrees to find sgh. I did so, and a few mins later sgh asked if I had the airport in sight. I did have an airport in sight, and began my approach to it. Sgh then said that they did not have me in sight, and asked me to describe the airport I saw, and if maybe it was ffo that I was seeing. I said I didn't think it was and continued flying towards it. A little later, sgh contacted me again and said that dayton approach had me either entering or about to enter (I don't remember the exact phrasing they used) ffo's class D airspace, and that I should immediately turn to 120 degree heading. I did, and then saw sgh ahead of me and to my left. I entered the pattern and landed without further incident. On the return to luk, I noticed the directional gyro was off by about 15-20 degrees. I should have checked it when I first discovered being off course. Also, I should have been more aware of the airspace around sgh so I wouldn't mistake ffo for sgh. Regardless, when sgh tower suggested I was approaching ffo, I should have verified where I was before continuing. Lack of experience and poor situational awareness were primary factors in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH UNCOORD AIRSPACE PENETRATION. A LOW TIME STUDENT PLT IN A C172 ON HIS FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY, ENTERS THE CLASS C AIRSPACE OF DAY, OH.

Narrative: ON MY FIRST STUDENT SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT, I WAS FLYING FROM LUK TO SGH DIRECT. I NOTICED BEING SUBSTANTIALLY E OF COURSE SOON AFTER DEP. I GOT BACK ON COURSE, RESUMED MY CALCULATED HDG, AND AGAIN NOTICED I WAS E OF DESIRED COURSE HALFWAY TO SGH. AGAIN, GETTING BACK ON COURSE, I RESUMED MY ORIGINAL HDG. APCHING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS XENIA, BUT WHICH I LATER FIGURED WAS A SMALL TOWN TO THE E, I CALLED SGH TWR SAYING I WAS OVER XENIA, INBOUND TO LAND. SOON AFTER THIS, SINCE I COULD NOT SEE SGH, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY AHEAD OF ME, I ENTERED SGH INTO THE ONBOARD GPS AND SAW THAT I WAS MOVING AWAY FROM THE ARPT. I THEN TURNED W, AND THE DISTANCE TO THE ARPT BEGAN TO DECREASE. ABOUT THIS TIME, SGH TWR CONTACTED ME AND ASKED FOR MY POS. I TOLD THEM I WASN'T SURE. THEY CONTACTED DAYTON APCH, HAD ME IDENT, AND TOLD ME I WAS DIRECTLY E OF THE ARPT, AND TO TURN TO 270 DEGS TO FIND SGH. I DID SO, AND A FEW MINS LATER SGH ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I DID HAVE AN ARPT IN SIGHT, AND BEGAN MY APCH TO IT. SGH THEN SAID THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ME IN SIGHT, AND ASKED ME TO DESCRIBE THE ARPT I SAW, AND IF MAYBE IT WAS FFO THAT I WAS SEEING. I SAID I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS AND CONTINUED FLYING TOWARDS IT. A LITTLE LATER, SGH CONTACTED ME AGAIN AND SAID THAT DAYTON APCH HAD ME EITHER ENTERING OR ABOUT TO ENTER (I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT PHRASING THEY USED) FFO'S CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND THAT I SHOULD IMMEDIATELY TURN TO 120 DEG HDG. I DID, AND THEN SAW SGH AHEAD OF ME AND TO MY L. I ENTERED THE PATTERN AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ON THE RETURN TO LUK, I NOTICED THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO WAS OFF BY ABOUT 15-20 DEGS. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED IT WHEN I FIRST DISCOVERED BEING OFF COURSE. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF THE AIRSPACE AROUND SGH SO I WOULDN'T MISTAKE FFO FOR SGH. REGARDLESS, WHEN SGH TWR SUGGESTED I WAS APCHING FFO, I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED WHERE I WAS BEFORE CONTINUING. LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND POOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WERE PRIMARY FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT.

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 uncoord airspace penetration. A low time student pilot in a C172 on his first solo cross country, enters the class C airspace of day, oh.