Small aircraft pilot with low experience level makes an unauthorized penetration of airspace, the TC...

Attributes
ACN	176874
Time
Date	199104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : mdw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	176874
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Mission was a night VFR navigation sortie for the purpose of gaining proficiency in same. Event occurred when pilot misjudged ground track and inadvertently flew into the ord TCA while attempting to contact mdw tower for permission to transit the mdw arsa. Tower, upon radio contact, informed pilot that he was in the TCA and should descend below the 1900' MSL floor of the TCA. Pilot immediately complied wit the tower's directive. Thereafter, tower directed aircraft to squawk a new code, and also gave pilot permission to transit mdw's airspace. There were no further events. Flight progressed normally and radar coverage and tower communications were terminated upon pilot's request upon exiting the arsa. Major contributing factor to this event was pilot's unfamiliarity with night operations. Pilot selected an altitude which would guarantee him both obstacle clearance and airspace compliance. However, pilot misjudged ground track in dark and became slightly disoriented, flying a course north of his imagined ground track. Clearly, the limits of human perception are greatly diminished, even in clear WX, when flying at night. All FBO's should continue to stress the hazards and illusions associated with nighttime operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT WITH LOW EXPERIENCE LEVEL MAKES AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE, THE TCA AT ORD.

Narrative: MISSION WAS A NIGHT VFR NAV SORTIE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GAINING PROFICIENCY IN SAME. EVENT OCCURRED WHEN PLT MISJUDGED GND TRACK AND INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO THE ORD TCA WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT MDW TWR FOR PERMISSION TO TRANSIT THE MDW ARSA. TWR, UPON RADIO CONTACT, INFORMED PLT THAT HE WAS IN THE TCA AND SHOULD DSND BELOW THE 1900' MSL FLOOR OF THE TCA. PLT IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WIT THE TWR'S DIRECTIVE. THEREAFTER, TWR DIRECTED ACFT TO SQUAWK A NEW CODE, AND ALSO GAVE PLT PERMISSION TO TRANSIT MDW'S AIRSPACE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER EVENTS. FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY AND RADAR COVERAGE AND TWR COMS WERE TERMINATED UPON PLT'S REQUEST UPON EXITING THE ARSA. MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS EVENT WAS PLT'S UNFAMILIARITY WITH NIGHT OPS. PLT SELECTED AN ALT WHICH WOULD GUARANTEE HIM BOTH OBSTACLE CLRNC AND AIRSPACE COMPLIANCE. HOWEVER, PLT MISJUDGED GND TRACK IN DARK AND BECAME SLIGHTLY DISORIENTED, FLYING A COURSE N OF HIS IMAGINED GND TRACK. CLEARLY, THE LIMITS OF HUMAN PERCEPTION ARE GREATLY DIMINISHED, EVEN IN CLR WX, WHEN FLYING AT NIGHT. ALL FBO'S SHOULD CONTINUE TO STRESS THE HAZARDS AND ILLUSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH NIGHTTIME OPS.

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.

Small aircraft pilot with low experience level makes an unauthorized penetration of airspace, the TCA at ord.