Narrative:

En route from ikk to WI10, I flew to the jot VOR at 2500 MSL. Once at jot, I turned to a north heading with the intention of overflying dpa with their permission. The convective activity was moderate to heavy, and I was having trouble holding altitude and heading. After obtaining dpa ATIS, I opened the wing root vent and rotated it towards me as it was getting hot in the cockpit. The rush of air evidently blew dust or dirt from the top of the panel into my eyes. I was blinded and in pain. I heard the engine winding up and assumed I was diving. I found the trim wheel, trimmed up and pushed the throttle forward to initiate a climb. The blindness lasted several mins until I could clear my eyes, but my vision was still blurring. I had climbed to approximately 3700 MSL by the time I recovered and realized I was well into the ord TCA both vertically and horizontally (10-15 mi). I immediately turned west, dropped to 1500 MSL and read a water tower for bearings (hoffman estates). I then proceeded to my home airport (WI10) at 1800 MSL. It is possible and probable I interfered with traffic on final to ord. As far as the emergency, the only thing I think could have been done different was to be wearing my sunglasses to avoid the debris. In retrospect, I should have notified approach as soon as possible and declared an emergency. By doing so, if I was on radar, they would have known the situation and my intentions upon recovery.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE SMA PLT FINDS THAT HAVING DUST RATHER THAN STARS IN HIS EYES IS AN IMPEDIMENT TO PROPER FLYING SKILLS.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM IKK TO WI10, I FLEW TO THE JOT VOR AT 2500 MSL. ONCE AT JOT, I TURNED TO A N HDG WITH THE INTENTION OF OVERFLYING DPA WITH THEIR PERMISSION. THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WAS MODERATE TO HVY, AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE HOLDING ALT AND HDG. AFTER OBTAINING DPA ATIS, I OPENED THE WING ROOT VENT AND ROTATED IT TOWARDS ME AS IT WAS GETTING HOT IN THE COCKPIT. THE RUSH OF AIR EVIDENTLY BLEW DUST OR DIRT FROM THE TOP OF THE PANEL INTO MY EYES. I WAS BLINDED AND IN PAIN. I HEARD THE ENG WINDING UP AND ASSUMED I WAS DIVING. I FOUND THE TRIM WHEEL, TRIMMED UP AND PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD TO INITIATE A CLB. THE BLINDNESS LASTED SEVERAL MINS UNTIL I COULD CLR MY EYES, BUT MY VISION WAS STILL BLURRING. I HAD CLBED TO APPROX 3700 MSL BY THE TIME I RECOVERED AND REALIZED I WAS WELL INTO THE ORD TCA BOTH VERTICALLY AND HORIZLY (10-15 MI). I IMMEDIATELY TURNED W, DROPPED TO 1500 MSL AND READ A WATER TWR FOR BEARINGS (HOFFMAN ESTATES). I THEN PROCEEDED TO MY HOME ARPT (WI10) AT 1800 MSL. IT IS POSSIBLE AND PROBABLE I INTERFERED WITH TFC ON FINAL TO ORD. AS FAR AS THE EMER, THE ONLY THING I THINK COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENT WAS TO BE WEARING MY SUNGLASSES TO AVOID THE DEBRIS. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED APCH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND DECLARED AN EMER. BY DOING SO, IF I WAS ON RADAR, THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE SITUATION AND MY INTENTIONS UPON RECOVERY.

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.