Small aircraft pilot enters class D airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	294673
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yip
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yip
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	294673
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot was flying from 7d2 to 1d2 to pick up passenger. Pilot navigating with DME using svm 114.3 VOR. Winter conditions particularly snow made visual identify of 1d2 difficult. Pilot on a southwest heading mistook an object at yip as the salem VOR antenna. Not sure what object was. Due to flying into sun pilot was late reorganizing yip runways. After returning to ground and studying maps, pilot decided to complete form in the event of incursion into class D and a corner of dtw class B airspace. Prevention: pilot study unfamiliar areas better. Pilot improve use of aircraft VOR and DME equipment. FAA design more consistent class B airspace geometry (layout). FAA place vors at center of major class D airports, ie, yip and ptk.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: PLT WAS FLYING FROM 7D2 TO 1D2 TO PICK UP PAX. PLT NAVIGATING WITH DME USING SVM 114.3 VOR. WINTER CONDITIONS PARTICULARLY SNOW MADE VISUAL IDENT OF 1D2 DIFFICULT. PLT ON A SW HDG MISTOOK AN OBJECT AT YIP AS THE SALEM VOR ANTENNA. NOT SURE WHAT OBJECT WAS. DUE TO FLYING INTO SUN PLT WAS LATE REORGANIZING YIP RWYS. AFTER RETURNING TO GND AND STUDYING MAPS, PLT DECIDED TO COMPLETE FORM IN THE EVENT OF INCURSION INTO CLASS D AND A CORNER OF DTW CLASS B AIRSPACE. PREVENTION: PLT STUDY UNFAMILIAR AREAS BETTER. PLT IMPROVE USE OF ACFT VOR AND DME EQUIP. FAA DESIGN MORE CONSISTENT CLASS B AIRSPACE GEOMETRY (LAYOUT). FAA PLACE VORS AT CTR OF MAJOR CLASS D ARPTS, IE, YIP AND PTK.

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.