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GA pilot reported being unable to contact ATC due to possible controller under staffing resulting in a class C airspace violation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1766750 |
| Time | |
| Date | 202010 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.TRACON |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Climb |
| Route In Use | Direct |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 13 Flight Crew Total 5100 Flight Crew Type 170 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
I was departing ZZZ1 and going northwest toward ZZZ2 with a slight jog to the east to avoid the ZZZ3 class B. My plan departing uncontrolled ZZZ1 was to turn out to the south to climb above the ZZZ4 class D and call TRACON for flight following and transition through the ZZZ class C. I have done this dozens of times and never had any trouble getting TRACON to respond. However; I failed to consider that TRACON controllers are handling multiple sectors because of the pandemic. Presumably because of this I did not get a response from TRACON; and I hadn't properly planned for this possibility; and I flew into ZZZ's class C without ATC communication. As [soon] as I realized that I had done so; I turned and descended to exit the class [C] (while still avoiding the ZZZ3 class B. Once I was sure I was clear of the ZZZ class C; I turned back on course; and was able to establish flight following with the ZZZ5 sector of TRACON.I was assuming that I would get a response from TRACON and thus be cleared through the class C; because that is what has always happened before; but I failed to plan for the possibility of what actually happened.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA pilot reported being unable to contact ATC due to possible Controller under staffing resulting in a Class C airspace violation.
Narrative: I was departing ZZZ1 and going northwest toward ZZZ2 with a slight jog to the east to avoid the ZZZ3 Class B. My plan departing uncontrolled ZZZ1 was to turn out to the south to climb above the ZZZ4 Class D and call TRACON for flight following and transition through the ZZZ Class C. I have done this dozens of times and never had any trouble getting TRACON to respond. However; I failed to consider that TRACON controllers are handling multiple sectors because of the pandemic. Presumably because of this I did not get a response from TRACON; and I hadn't properly planned for this possibility; and I flew into ZZZ's Class C without ATC communication. As [soon] as I realized that I had done so; I turned and descended to exit the Class [C] (while still avoiding the ZZZ3 Class B. Once I was sure I was clear of the ZZZ Class C; I turned back on course; and was able to establish flight following with the ZZZ5 sector of TRACON.I was assuming that I would get a response from TRACON and thus be cleared through the Class C; because that is what has always happened before; but I failed to plan for the possibility of what actually happened.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.