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Erroneous penetration of class D airspace. With no flight plan, reporter pilot was flying in area of WX and numerous controled airspaces. Approach controller told reporter that they couldn't help him because they were too busy. Reporter tried to maneuver around the class C airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 342370 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : buf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : buf |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Decathlon |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 342370 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather 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:
VFR flight eastbound over canada approaching buf at 2500 ft MSL below ceiling. Approach control said 'too busy, remain clear class C airspace.' lake erie on right, lake ontario on left, niagara falls restr area, rain showers and thunderstorms in area. Descended to fly under outer ring of class C at buf, remained clear of the falls restr area, however, may have entered iag's class D inadvertently. Monitoring buf radar approach control before calling, didn't seem all that busy, radar approach control personnel should be aware of the unique airspace restrs in their area and in cases of low ceilings (VFR aircraft unable to climb over class C) take the current situation into account before refusing service. I should have orbited, called again, and or reviewed the chart more carefully before trying to maneuver around the class C airspace. Factors involved included fuel duration remaining (approximately 2 hours plus) and estimated time to fly to destination (syr) of 1 hour and 15 mins.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS D AIRSPACE. WITH NO FLT PLAN, RPTR PLT WAS FLYING IN AREA OF WX AND NUMEROUS CTLED AIRSPACES. APCH CTLR TOLD RPTR THAT THEY COULDN'T HELP HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY. RPTR TRIED TO MANEUVER AROUND THE CLASS C AIRSPACE.
Narrative: VFR FLT EBOUND OVER CANADA APCHING BUF AT 2500 FT MSL BELOW CEILING. APCH CTL SAID 'TOO BUSY, REMAIN CLR CLASS C AIRSPACE.' LAKE ERIE ON R, LAKE ONTARIO ON L, NIAGARA FALLS RESTR AREA, RAIN SHOWERS AND TSTMS IN AREA. DSNDED TO FLY UNDER OUTER RING OF CLASS C AT BUF, REMAINED CLR OF THE FALLS RESTR AREA, HOWEVER, MAY HAVE ENTERED IAG'S CLASS D INADVERTENTLY. MONITORING BUF RADAR APCH CTL BEFORE CALLING, DIDN'T SEEM ALL THAT BUSY, RADAR APCH CTL PERSONNEL SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE UNIQUE AIRSPACE RESTRS IN THEIR AREA AND IN CASES OF LOW CEILINGS (VFR ACFT UNABLE TO CLB OVER CLASS C) TAKE THE CURRENT SIT INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE REFUSING SVC. I SHOULD HAVE ORBITED, CALLED AGAIN, AND OR REVIEWED THE CHART MORE CAREFULLY BEFORE TRYING TO MANEUVER AROUND THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. FACTORS INVOLVED INCLUDED FUEL DURATION REMAINING (APPROX 2 HRS PLUS) AND ESTIMATED TIME TO FLY TO DEST (SYR) OF 1 HR AND 15 MINS.
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.