Narrative:

I was transitioning between spruce creek, fl, to deland airport at 1200 ft, both unicom airports and remaining outside the daytona beach arsa. The sun was in a position to cause a blindness with the heavy haze. I accidently, knocked off my sunglasses and was blinded by the sun. When I reached for my 'cheap' prescription sunglasses the lenses fell out. While trying to retrieve my backup sunglasses, I inadvertently ascended to 1500 ft and possibly came within the 5 mi circle around daytona. After I got the sunglasses on, it took about 30 seconds to be able to see the instruments at which time I descended and proceeded out of the airspace. Contributing factors include the position of the sun, traveling west, the heavy haze, dropping sunglasses, cheap sunglasses. Corrective action included descending immediately and exiting airspace with much haste. To have saved this or prevented this occurrence, I should have called daytona and transitioned their airspace under their control but they were quite busy. The sun definitely affected my ability to be able to clearly see and, therefore, experienced a form of snow blindness. Once I recovered I was able to correct my actions. The blindness experienced greatly affected my ability to perform to my best at that time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS TRANSITIONING BTWN SPRUCE CREEK, FL, TO DELAND ARPT AT 1200 FT, BOTH UNICOM ARPTS AND REMAINING OUTSIDE THE DAYTONA BEACH ARSA. THE SUN WAS IN A POS TO CAUSE A BLINDNESS WITH THE HVY HAZE. I ACCIDENTLY, KNOCKED OFF MY SUNGLASSES AND WAS BLINDED BY THE SUN. WHEN I REACHED FOR MY 'CHEAP' PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES THE LENSES FELL OUT. WHILE TRYING TO RETRIEVE MY BACKUP SUNGLASSES, I INADVERTENTLY ASCENDED TO 1500 FT AND POSSIBLY CAME WITHIN THE 5 MI CIRCLE AROUND DAYTONA. AFTER I GOT THE SUNGLASSES ON, IT TOOK ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE INSTS AT WHICH TIME I DSNDED AND PROCEEDED OUT OF THE AIRSPACE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE POS OF THE SUN, TRAVELING W, THE HVY HAZE, DROPPING SUNGLASSES, CHEAP SUNGLASSES. CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDED DSNDING IMMEDIATELY AND EXITING AIRSPACE WITH MUCH HASTE. TO HAVE SAVED THIS OR PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED DAYTONA AND TRANSITIONED THEIR AIRSPACE UNDER THEIR CTL BUT THEY WERE QUITE BUSY. THE SUN DEFINITELY AFFECTED MY ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CLRLY SEE AND, THEREFORE, EXPERIENCED A FORM OF SNOW BLINDNESS. ONCE I RECOVERED I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT MY ACTIONS. THE BLINDNESS EXPERIENCED GREATLY AFFECTED MY ABILITY TO PERFORM TO MY BEST AT THAT TIME.

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.