Small aircraft pilot fails to contact tower and enters class D airspace without clearance. Unauthori...

Attributes
ACN	339131
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bjc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bjc
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 : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	339131
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Jeffco ATIS was reporting 9000 ft and 10 plus visibility with verga and ground fog north. I was en route to jeffco airport to land. I was coming from the northeast. I was VFR but with a number of rain showers between me and the airport. Due to the rain showers and a wet windshield it was difficult to pick out jeffco airport. When I wa approximately 5 NM from the airport (GPS mileage) I attempted to call jeffco tower with a position report but at that time his frequency became cluttered with several calls from aircraft both in the air and on the ground. By the time I was able to make contact and make my report the tower advised that I had penetrated his 'D' airspace without a clearance. I was cleared on in for a landing. Even the jeffco airport was VFR the WX just to the north and east was marginal VFR in rain and fog. I was just on the south side of the majority of the WX but in and out of rain showers. It would have been difficult for me to remain VFR had I continued north or west while I was trying to make my position call to the tower. Due to radio congestion at that particular time I penetrated the jeffco 'D' airspace without a clearance. The WX north of the airport as reported on ATIS was a factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FAILS TO CONTACT TWR AND ENTERS CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE CLASS D.

Narrative: JEFFCO ATIS WAS RPTING 9000 FT AND 10 PLUS VISIBILITY WITH VERGA AND GND FOG N. I WAS ENRTE TO JEFFCO ARPT TO LAND. I WAS COMING FROM THE NE. I WAS VFR BUT WITH A NUMBER OF RAIN SHOWERS BTWN ME AND THE ARPT. DUE TO THE RAIN SHOWERS AND A WET WINDSHIELD IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT JEFFCO ARPT. WHEN I WA APPROX 5 NM FROM THE ARPT (GPS MILEAGE) I ATTEMPTED TO CALL JEFFCO TWR WITH A POS RPT BUT AT THAT TIME HIS FREQ BECAME CLUTTERED WITH SEVERAL CALLS FROM ACFT BOTH IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT AND MAKE MY RPT THE TWR ADVISED THAT I HAD PENETRATED HIS 'D' AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. I WAS CLRED ON IN FOR A LNDG. EVEN THE JEFFCO ARPT WAS VFR THE WX JUST TO THE N AND E WAS MARGINAL VFR IN RAIN AND FOG. I WAS JUST ON THE S SIDE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE WX BUT IN AND OUT OF RAIN SHOWERS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME TO REMAIN VFR HAD I CONTINUED N OR W WHILE I WAS TRYING TO MAKE MY POS CALL TO THE TWR. DUE TO RADIO CONGESTION AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME I PENETRATED THE JEFFCO 'D' AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE WX N OF THE ARPT AS RPTED ON ATIS WAS A FACTOR.

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.

Small aircraft pilot fails to contact tower and enters class D airspace without clearance. Unauthorized penetration of airspace class D.