VFR, C-P337G pilot entered class a airspace without ZLA's permission.

Attributes
ACN	583263
Time
Date	200305
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tower : hef.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super Skymaster
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 368 flight time type : 156
ASRS Report	583263
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In an attempt to avoid continued severe turbulence and clouds, I climbed to 17500 ft. There was a sudden and unexpected increase in the tops of the cloud formations that surrounded my aircraft. This was due to a WX build up over the wabayuma peak wilderness area. I then increased my altitude to avoid an IMC condition while remaining outside of class a airspace. Simultaneously, I was attending to my airsick passenger, getting an autoplt disconnect, and trying to remain free of clouds. Unintentionally, I entered class a airspace by 300 ft. I then received a call from ATC informing me that I had entered class a airspace with a request to descend immediately. I responded by informing ATC that I would do so as soon as I could find a place without entering IMC conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR, C-P337G PLT ENTERED CLASS A AIRSPACE WITHOUT ZLA'S PERMISSION.

Narrative: IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID CONTINUED SEVERE TURB AND CLOUDS, I CLBED TO 17500 FT. THERE WAS A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN THE TOPS OF THE CLOUD FORMATIONS THAT SURROUNDED MY ACFT. THIS WAS DUE TO A WX BUILD UP OVER THE WABAYUMA PEAK WILDERNESS AREA. I THEN INCREASED MY ALT TO AVOID AN IMC CONDITION WHILE REMAINING OUTSIDE OF CLASS A AIRSPACE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, I WAS ATTENDING TO MY AIRSICK PAX, GETTING AN AUTOPLT DISCONNECT, AND TRYING TO REMAIN FREE OF CLOUDS. UNINTENTIONALLY, I ENTERED CLASS A AIRSPACE BY 300 FT. I THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM ATC INFORMING ME THAT I HAD ENTERED CLASS A AIRSPACE WITH A REQUEST TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. I RESPONDED BY INFORMING ATC THAT I WOULD DO SO AS SOON AS I COULD FIND A PLACE WITHOUT ENTERING IMC CONDITIONS.

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.