Narrative:

On apr/sun/95 at XA30 hours, I departed sac via runway 30. Intended route was west to woodland then north to colusa area, then return to home base in concord (ccr). Tail number is nxxxx, K35 bonanza. Mode C was in operation but I departed without radar clearance and without establishing 2-WAY communication with sac departure/approach control. Believing the floor of the arsa to be 2600 ft, I climbed to 2500 ft and at that altitude to woodland and colusa. In doing so it is possible that the route and climb to altitude caused an intrusion into the southwest portion of the sac class C airspace without 2-WAY radio communication. As we returned to ccr from colusa, I consulted a sectional and noticed that the floor of the sac arsa is 1600 ft, not 2600 ft. Perceptions, judgements, decisions: I consulted the sectional but misread it. Also, the sac executive ATIS included a departure control frequency for flts needing radar clearance. I formed the intention to fly west and climb to 2500 ft for the express purpose of remaining clear of the arsa. I had a passenger who was a first time small plane flier. He was extremely curious and conversational. It is possible that my attention was diverted by his questions and observations. I was fatigued at the time of the flight. In retrospect, I should not have undertaken the flight. Instead, I was persuaded to go ahead due to a perceived obligation to my passenger and because of excellent VFR WX. Looking back, there were several ways in which my flying performance was not up to PAR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT MISREAD THE DIMENSIONS OF NEARBY CLASS C AIRSPACE, AND REALIZED, IN HINDSIGHT, THAT CLASS C AIRSPACE HAD BEEN PENETRATED.

Narrative: ON APR/SUN/95 AT XA30 HRS, I DEPARTED SAC VIA RWY 30. INTENDED RTE WAS W TO WOODLAND THEN N TO COLUSA AREA, THEN RETURN TO HOME BASE IN CONCORD (CCR). TAIL NUMBER IS NXXXX, K35 BONANZA. MODE C WAS IN OP BUT I DEPARTED WITHOUT RADAR CLRNC AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COM WITH SAC DEP/APCH CTL. BELIEVING THE FLOOR OF THE ARSA TO BE 2600 FT, I CLBED TO 2500 FT AND AT THAT ALT TO WOODLAND AND COLUSA. IN DOING SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE RTE AND CLB TO ALT CAUSED AN INTRUSION INTO THE SW PORTION OF THE SAC CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT 2-WAY RADIO COM. AS WE RETURNED TO CCR FROM COLUSA, I CONSULTED A SECTIONAL AND NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR OF THE SAC ARSA IS 1600 FT, NOT 2600 FT. PERCEPTIONS, JUDGEMENTS, DECISIONS: I CONSULTED THE SECTIONAL BUT MISREAD IT. ALSO, THE SAC EXECUTIVE ATIS INCLUDED A DEP CTL FREQ FOR FLTS NEEDING RADAR CLRNC. I FORMED THE INTENTION TO FLY W AND CLB TO 2500 FT FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF REMAINING CLR OF THE ARSA. I HAD A PAX WHO WAS A FIRST TIME SMALL PLANE FLIER. HE WAS EXTREMELY CURIOUS AND CONVERSATIONAL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED BY HIS QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS. I WAS FATIGUED AT THE TIME OF THE FLT. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE UNDERTAKEN THE FLT. INSTEAD, I WAS PERSUADED TO GO AHEAD DUE TO A PERCEIVED OBLIGATION TO MY PAX AND BECAUSE OF EXCELLENT VFR WX. LOOKING BACK, THERE WERE SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH MY FLYING PERFORMANCE WAS NOT UP TO PAR.

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.