Narrative:

I was flying sebound to newport beach, parallel to the shoreline at approximately 2500 ft MSL. The original plan was to proceed nebound, parallel to the most northwest boundary line, just outside the class C airspace, (heading 010 degrees magnetic) of the sna class C airspace at an altitude of 2600 ft MSL then at disneyland there would be a slight change in course to a heading of 007 degrees magnetic or victor 394 towards bracket airport (poc). Because I was flying very close to the class C altitudes, I had great concerns, one is for example, that my reading of 1950 ft on my dial may be reading greater than 2000 on your radar screen. When I had huntington pier in sight, I turned to a heading of 010 degrees. At this time I rechked the pomona VOR frequency and to a heading of 010 degrees. I proceeded to follow my VOR radial, unfortunately, I drifted more eastward, most likely attributed to the xwinds, and flew over mile square with a heading of 010 degrees, realizing that I was flying within a class C airspace, I tuned in the ATIS for long beach and re-set my altimeter. Note that the altimeter was previously set while flying close to long beach. Immediately I proceeded to fly just below the 2500 ft MSL and headed 010 degrees and gradually descended to an altitude just below 2000 ft MSL ft (constantly looking at the chart and looking for traffic). When I reached a safe uncontrolled airspace, I proceeded to call brackett tower, and reported for landing. Root cause(south): crosswind. Setting of altimeter to an airport located 15 mi away. When present location was checked against the VFR terminal chart and realized that mi square was down below. 32ND edition (note: this chart was current at the time of flying).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PVT PLT PERFORMS AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING SEBOUND TO NEWPORT BEACH, PARALLEL TO THE SHORELINE AT APPROX 2500 FT MSL. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO PROCEED NEBOUND, PARALLEL TO THE MOST NW BOUNDARY LINE, JUST OUTSIDE THE CLASS C AIRSPACE, (HDG 010 DEGS MAGNETIC) OF THE SNA CLASS C AIRSPACE AT AN ALT OF 2600 FT MSL THEN AT DISNEYLAND THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT CHANGE IN COURSE TO A HDG OF 007 DEGS MAGNETIC OR VICTOR 394 TOWARDS BRACKET ARPT (POC). BECAUSE I WAS FLYING VERY CLOSE TO THE CLASS C ALTS, I HAD GREAT CONCERNS, ONE IS FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MY READING OF 1950 FT ON MY DIAL MAY BE READING GREATER THAN 2000 ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN. WHEN I HAD HUNTINGTON PIER IN SIGHT, I TURNED TO A HDG OF 010 DEGS. AT THIS TIME I RECHKED THE POMONA VOR FREQ AND TO A HDG OF 010 DEGS. I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW MY VOR RADIAL, UNFORTUNATELY, I DRIFTED MORE EASTWARD, MOST LIKELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE XWINDS, AND FLEW OVER MILE SQUARE WITH A HDG OF 010 DEGS, REALIZING THAT I WAS FLYING WITHIN A CLASS C AIRSPACE, I TUNED IN THE ATIS FOR LONG BEACH AND RE-SET MY ALTIMETER. NOTE THAT THE ALTIMETER WAS PREVIOUSLY SET WHILE FLYING CLOSE TO LONG BEACH. IMMEDIATELY I PROCEEDED TO FLY JUST BELOW THE 2500 FT MSL AND HEADED 010 DEGS AND GRADUALLY DSNDED TO AN ALT JUST BELOW 2000 FT MSL FT (CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE CHART AND LOOKING FOR TFC). WHEN I REACHED A SAFE UNCTLED AIRSPACE, I PROCEEDED TO CALL BRACKETT TWR, AND RPTED FOR LNDG. ROOT CAUSE(S): XWIND. SETTING OF ALTIMETER TO AN ARPT LOCATED 15 MI AWAY. WHEN PRESENT LOCATION WAS CHKED AGAINST THE VFR TERMINAL CHART AND REALIZED THAT MI SQUARE WAS DOWN BELOW. 32ND EDITION (NOTE: THIS CHART WAS CURRENT AT THE TIME OF FLYING).

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.