An instructor pilot and his private rated student both allowed their attention to wander examining t...

Attributes
ACN	937838
Time
Date	201103
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	PCT.TRACON
State Reference	VA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	SR20
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90 Flight Crew Total 610 Flight Crew Type 190
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Trainee
Qualification	Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 17.2 Flight Crew Total 131.2 Flight Crew Type 12.1
Events
Anomaly	Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural FAR Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown

Narrative:

We were talking to patuxent approach and proceeding direct to the snow hill VOR while trying to avoid the restricted areas that exist around wallops flight facility. While running checklists; my student and I got nose down trying to work with the autopilot; and when I looked up we were about to cross into wallops' class D. I queried patuxent approach if we were cleared into the class D. By the time they responded to remain clear; we had penetrated the class D airspace. I immediately commanded the autopilot to turn us out of the airspace (we were inside for less than 20 seconds). After exiting we used the heading bug and continued to remain clear.in hindsight; I let a student's question distract me from maintaining situational awareness. Also; I should have disconnected the autopilot and flown a hard right turn instead of querying ATC for a clearance. I will pay much closer attention outside of the aircraft in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An Instructor Pilot and his Private rated Student both allowed their attention to wander examining their destination airport information on their MFD. When they ultimately returned to their navigation display they realized they had entered a Class D without a clearance.

Narrative: We were talking to Patuxent Approach and proceeding direct to the Snow Hill VOR while trying to avoid the restricted areas that exist around Wallops Flight facility. While running checklists; my student and I got nose down trying to work with the autopilot; and when I looked up we were about to cross into Wallops' Class D. I queried Patuxent Approach if we were cleared into the Class D. By the time they responded to remain clear; we had penetrated the Class D airspace. I immediately commanded the Autopilot to turn us out of the airspace (we were inside for less than 20 seconds). After exiting we used the heading bug and continued to remain clear.In hindsight; I let a student's question distract me from maintaining situational awareness. Also; I should have disconnected the autopilot and flown a hard right turn instead of querying ATC for a clearance. I will pay much closer attention outside of the aircraft in the future.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

An instructor pilot and his private rated student both allowed their attention to wander examining their destination airport information on their mfd. When they ultimately returned to their navigation display they realized they had entered a class D without a clearance.