Small aircraft enters bda air traffic area without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	174737
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdr airport : tmu
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdr
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	174737
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 flying at 1000' AGL with 4 passenger on board. We were eastbound along the shoreline when I realized that if I kept going east, the poor WX would keep us from crossing long island sound to groton, ct. I decided to turn around and fly west and cross the sound about 20 NM west of groton. The visibility was much better west of groton and I could see ct from the north shore of long island. I started to cross the sound at a heading of about 030 degrees. I didn't realize that because I kept focused on the ct shoreline, that my heading had drifted to between 340 and 360 degrees. I didn't want to look around too much because of the poor WX and the chance of loosing sight of landing with no horizon (vertigo). I approached the shoreline from about 3 NM when I saw an airport on the shoreline. Not knowing which airport and what frequency to call on, I immediately turned 180 degrees and flew out of the air traffic area. The WX was about 1200' ceiling and visibility of 4-5 mi. When I landed at groton I realized that it was bdr's airspace that I flew into. I was so preoccupied with keeping my visibility reference of land that I neglected to x-chk my HSI and keep on my heading. Next time I have to cross the sound, I will use a VOR to stay on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS BDA ATA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AT 1000' AGL WITH 4 PAX ON BOARD. WE WERE EBND ALONG THE SHORELINE WHEN I REALIZED THAT IF I KEPT GOING E, THE POOR WX WOULD KEEP US FROM XING LONG ISLAND SOUND TO GROTON, CT. I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND FLY W AND CROSS THE SOUND ABOUT 20 NM W OF GROTON. THE VISIBILITY WAS MUCH BETTER W OF GROTON AND I COULD SEE CT FROM THE N SHORE OF LONG ISLAND. I STARTED TO CROSS THE SOUND AT A HDG OF ABOUT 030 DEGS. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT BECAUSE I KEPT FOCUSED ON THE CT SHORELINE, THAT MY HDG HAD DRIFTED TO BTWN 340 AND 360 DEGS. I DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK AROUND TOO MUCH BECAUSE OF THE POOR WX AND THE CHANCE OF LOOSING SIGHT OF LNDG WITH NO HORIZON (VERTIGO). I APCHED THE SHORELINE FROM ABOUT 3 NM WHEN I SAW AN ARPT ON THE SHORELINE. NOT KNOWING WHICH ARPT AND WHAT FREQ TO CALL ON, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED 180 DEGS AND FLEW OUT OF THE ATA. THE WX WAS ABOUT 1200' CEILING AND VISIBILITY OF 4-5 MI. WHEN I LANDED AT GROTON I REALIZED THAT IT WAS BDR'S AIRSPACE THAT I FLEW INTO. I WAS SO PREOCCUPIED WITH KEEPING MY VIS REF OF LAND THAT I NEGLECTED TO X-CHK MY HSI AND KEEP ON MY HDG. NEXT TIME I HAVE TO CROSS THE SOUND, I WILL USE A VOR TO STAY ON COURSE.

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.