Narrative:

Unintentional penetration of positive control area without ATC clearance. The purpose of the flight was to evaluate the high altitude performance of the aircraft and gain comfort experience in the use of portable oxygen equipment. Flight in a mooney M20G departed montgomery field, san diego, climbing wbound along the coast to cardiff, remaining below the san diego class B airspace. Thence, continued climb on a heading of 035 degrees to 11500 ft to the vicinity of anza, ca (23 NM radius on the 335 degree radial of the julian VOR, los angeles sectional). An oxygen mask was donned and the oxygen flow/rate set to 1.5 1/M (mode C in operation). The service ceiling on an M20G is 13600 ft. Pleased with the performance at 15500 ft, I decided to find out what the service ceiling (100 FPM) would be for myself as single pilot and 80 percent fuel load. Reversing course climbs were continued to 19500 ft, with level segments at some altitudes. In descent and return to airport, I realized about 1/2 way down that I had penetrated the positive control area above 18000 ft without clearance from ATC. Since I was now well below the positive control area, no corrective action was taken as there seemed no need or means. Factors that may have set up the conditions for inadvertent positive control area penetration could be: 1) first time in 30 yrs to fly at those altitudes and never have really had to consider the positive control area in my flying. 2) was focused on using the oxygen system for the first time, making sure it was indeed working, while remaining extra aware of my own physiological state. 3) focused on flying the aircraft. At that altitude it performs as if in slow flight. Except forgetting the positive control area floor limit, conduct of the flight was normal. Performance under oxygen, if anything, gave a sharper feeling. No system correction is suggested. One must simply remind oneself that the airman is responsible for and should consider all facets affecting the flight. This, of course, is particularly true when venturing into flight regimes foreign to most of the pilot's experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL OPERATED IN CLASS A AIRSPACE DURING AN OXYGEN EQUIP TEST FLT WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: UNINTENTIONAL PENETRATION OF PCA WITHOUT ATC CLRNC. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO EVALUATE THE HIGH ALT PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT AND GAIN COMFORT EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF PORTABLE OXYGEN EQUIP. FLT IN A MOONEY M20G DEPARTED MONTGOMERY FIELD, SAN DIEGO, CLBING WBOUND ALONG THE COAST TO CARDIFF, REMAINING BELOW THE SAN DIEGO CLASS B AIRSPACE. THENCE, CONTINUED CLB ON A HDG OF 035 DEGS TO 11500 FT TO THE VICINITY OF ANZA, CA (23 NM RADIUS ON THE 335 DEG RADIAL OF THE JULIAN VOR, LOS ANGELES SECTIONAL). AN OXYGEN MASK WAS DONNED AND THE OXYGEN FLOW/RATE SET TO 1.5 1/M (MODE C IN OP). THE SVC CEILING ON AN M20G IS 13600 FT. PLEASED WITH THE PERFORMANCE AT 15500 FT, I DECIDED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SVC CEILING (100 FPM) WOULD BE FOR MYSELF AS SINGLE PLT AND 80 PERCENT FUEL LOAD. REVERSING COURSE CLBS WERE CONTINUED TO 19500 FT, WITH LEVEL SEGMENTS AT SOME ALTS. IN DSCNT AND RETURN TO ARPT, I REALIZED ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE PCA ABOVE 18000 FT WITHOUT CLRNC FROM ATC. SINCE I WAS NOW WELL BELOW THE PCA, NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN AS THERE SEEMED NO NEED OR MEANS. FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE SET UP THE CONDITIONS FOR INADVERTENT PCA PENETRATION COULD BE: 1) FIRST TIME IN 30 YRS TO FLY AT THOSE ALTS AND NEVER HAVE REALLY HAD TO CONSIDER THE PCA IN MY FLYING. 2) WAS FOCUSED ON USING THE OXYGEN SYS FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAKING SURE IT WAS INDEED WORKING, WHILE REMAINING EXTRA AWARE OF MY OWN PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE. 3) FOCUSED ON FLYING THE ACFT. AT THAT ALT IT PERFORMS AS IF IN SLOW FLT. EXCEPT FORGETTING THE PCA FLOOR LIMIT, CONDUCT OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. PERFORMANCE UNDER OXYGEN, IF ANYTHING, GAVE A SHARPER FEELING. NO SYS CORRECTION IS SUGGESTED. ONE MUST SIMPLY REMIND ONESELF THAT THE AIRMAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SHOULD CONSIDER ALL FACETS AFFECTING THE FLT. THIS, OF COURSE, IS PARTICULARLY TRUE WHEN VENTURING INTO FLT REGIMES FOREIGN TO MOST OF THE PLT'S EXPERIENCE.

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.