Lost track of position and penetrated the TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	84613
Time
Date	198803
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fgt
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 45000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : msp
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 2225 flight time type : 1611
ASRS Report	84613
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was returning from a business trip to rochester, mn on victor 82 toward fgt VOR at 4500 MSL on 3/88 at XA20 CST. When I penetrated the minneapolis TCA before I realized where I was. I was VFR and was about to call approach on 125.0. Because of a mistake in pilotage, I thought I was further south than I was. When the lake I was looking at turned out to be north of airlake airport and I saw the airport south of it, I realized I had penetrated the TCA at more than 4000'. I immediately turned south and descended below 4000' to get below the TCA floor. Visibility was not poor that day, but we were flying into the afternoon sun and it was somewhat difficult to see ahead. I should have called approach sooner, and will in the future. I wanted to stay as high as possible as long as I could because of rough air. To my knowledge, I've never had this happen before, and it bothers me. Our TCA is very simple, compared to others, but at times even its borders are hard to find when navigating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST TRACK OF POSITION AND PENETRATED THE TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM A BUSINESS TRIP TO ROCHESTER, MN ON VICTOR 82 TOWARD FGT VOR AT 4500 MSL ON 3/88 AT XA20 CST. WHEN I PENETRATED THE MINNEAPOLIS TCA BEFORE I REALIZED WHERE I WAS. I WAS VFR AND WAS ABOUT TO CALL APCH ON 125.0. BECAUSE OF A MISTAKE IN PILOTAGE, I THOUGHT I WAS FURTHER S THAN I WAS. WHEN THE LAKE I WAS LOOKING AT TURNED OUT TO BE N OF AIRLAKE ARPT AND I SAW THE ARPT S OF IT, I REALIZED I HAD PENETRATED THE TCA AT MORE THAN 4000'. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED S AND DSNDED BELOW 4000' TO GET BELOW THE TCA FLOOR. VISIBILITY WAS NOT POOR THAT DAY, BUT WE WERE FLYING INTO THE AFTERNOON SUN AND IT WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO SEE AHEAD. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED APCH SOONER, AND WILL IN THE FUTURE. I WANTED TO STAY AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE AS LONG AS I COULD BECAUSE OF ROUGH AIR. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I'VE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE, AND IT BOTHERS ME. OUR TCA IS VERY SIMPLE, COMPARED TO OTHERS, BUT AT TIMES EVEN ITS BORDERS ARE HARD TO FIND WHEN NAVIGATING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.