Narrative:

I was sebound from pir to oma, and encountered thunderstorms which caused me to deviation almost 100 mi west and approach oma from the west instead of north. When I last checked my position from the lnk VOR, I was 40 DME on the 300 degree radial, and just wsw of columbus, northeast. At that point flying straight east to oma would pass me 15-20 mi north of the lnk arsa. I then tuned my VOR radios into oma and columbus. I progressed east, however, I encountered more severe WX; moderate turbulence with occasional severe chop, lightening, moderate rain. I ended up turning more southeast than I realized while deviating from this WX and entered the lnk arsa. According to my navigation off the oma VOR I still believed myself to be well north of the lnk arsa. However, when I called oma approach and obtained a squawk code, he informed me I was in the lnk arsa. He handed me over to lnk approach. I explained my problem with the WX which kept me too busy to navigation for a short while, and he handed me back to oma approach. Causes: mindset, 'I'm well north of the lnk arsa, it's not a factor.' failure to keep track of position from lnk arsa, instead relying on visual perception of where I was. Dealing with the WX put me behind in navigation, navigation became secondary. How to prevent a recurrence: if anywhere near TCA's, arsa's, etc, monitor position in relation to that airspace. Use radar service if available if VFR, or fly IFR if capable. Ps, I had obtained a full WX briefing before departing, and an update shortly after departing, and these storms were much more widespread and intense than forecast.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI DEV WX PENETRATES ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS SEBOUND FROM PIR TO OMA, AND ENCOUNTERED TSTMS WHICH CAUSED ME TO DEV ALMOST 100 MI W AND APCH OMA FROM THE W INSTEAD OF N. WHEN I LAST CHKED MY POS FROM THE LNK VOR, I WAS 40 DME ON THE 300 DEG RADIAL, AND JUST WSW OF COLUMBUS, NE. AT THAT POINT FLYING STRAIGHT E TO OMA WOULD PASS ME 15-20 MI N OF THE LNK ARSA. I THEN TUNED MY VOR RADIOS INTO OMA AND COLUMBUS. I PROGRESSED E, HOWEVER, I ENCOUNTERED MORE SEVERE WX; MODERATE TURB WITH OCCASIONAL SEVERE CHOP, LIGHTENING, MODERATE RAIN. I ENDED UP TURNING MORE SE THAN I REALIZED WHILE DEVIATING FROM THIS WX AND ENTERED THE LNK ARSA. ACCORDING TO MY NAV OFF THE OMA VOR I STILL BELIEVED MYSELF TO BE WELL N OF THE LNK ARSA. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED OMA APCH AND OBTAINED A SQUAWK CODE, HE INFORMED ME I WAS IN THE LNK ARSA. HE HANDED ME OVER TO LNK APCH. I EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM WITH THE WX WHICH KEPT ME TOO BUSY TO NAV FOR A SHORT WHILE, AND HE HANDED ME BACK TO OMA APCH. CAUSES: MINDSET, 'I'M WELL N OF THE LNK ARSA, IT'S NOT A FACTOR.' FAILURE TO KEEP TRACK OF POS FROM LNK ARSA, INSTEAD RELYING ON VISUAL PERCEPTION OF WHERE I WAS. DEALING WITH THE WX PUT ME BEHIND IN NAV, NAV BECAME SECONDARY. HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE: IF ANYWHERE NEAR TCA'S, ARSA'S, ETC, MONITOR POS IN RELATION TO THAT AIRSPACE. USE RADAR SVC IF AVAILABLE IF VFR, OR FLY IFR IF CAPABLE. PS, I HAD OBTAINED A FULL WX BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING, AND AN UPDATE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING, AND THESE STORMS WERE MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE THAN FORECAST.

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.