BE35 pilot believes he possibly made an unauthorized penetration of class C airspace at abe, PA.

Attributes
ACN	358520
Time
Date	199701
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe airport : ukt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	358520
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was departing ukt which is 13 NM south of abe airport for an instrument practice flight (simulated, hood). After a downwind departure climbing above the pattern, I turned northward toward abe for practice approachs (all of this accomplished under simulated instrument conditions). After acquiring the ATIS, I went to call approach control and recognized that I was just short of penetrating the class C airspace. I immediately turned the aircraft away from the class C airspace and called approach with my request for practice approachs. I'm note sure if I penetrated. It was close. Factors contributing: infrequently operate out of ukt. While I did look at a chart, I didn't expect the abe airspace to come so quickly. Also, some time and awareness (momentary) was lost settling my scan on the gauges. Also, there was a strong southwest flow (greater than 30 KTS at 8000 ft MSL). While this was forecast, I was led to a false sense of lesser winds by the near calm surface winds at ukt (there was an inversion, as well). The combination led to the time to penetration dropping from greater than 2 mins to about half that. In any case, I should have remained well clear of the airspace. I was too casual in my consideration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT BELIEVES HE POSSIBLY MADE AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE AT ABE, PA.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING UKT WHICH IS 13 NM S OF ABE ARPT FOR AN INST PRACTICE FLT (SIMULATED, HOOD). AFTER A DOWNWIND DEP CLBING ABOVE THE PATTERN, I TURNED NORTHWARD TOWARD ABE FOR PRACTICE APCHS (ALL OF THIS ACCOMPLISHED UNDER SIMULATED INST CONDITIONS). AFTER ACQUIRING THE ATIS, I WENT TO CALL APCH CTL AND RECOGNIZED THAT I WAS JUST SHORT OF PENETRATING THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE ACFT AWAY FROM THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AND CALLED APCH WITH MY REQUEST FOR PRACTICE APCHS. I'M NOTE SURE IF I PENETRATED. IT WAS CLOSE. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING: INFREQUENTLY OPERATE OUT OF UKT. WHILE I DID LOOK AT A CHART, I DIDN'T EXPECT THE ABE AIRSPACE TO COME SO QUICKLY. ALSO, SOME TIME AND AWARENESS (MOMENTARY) WAS LOST SETTLING MY SCAN ON THE GAUGES. ALSO, THERE WAS A STRONG SW FLOW (GREATER THAN 30 KTS AT 8000 FT MSL). WHILE THIS WAS FORECAST, I WAS LED TO A FALSE SENSE OF LESSER WINDS BY THE NEAR CALM SURFACE WINDS AT UKT (THERE WAS AN INVERSION, AS WELL). THE COMBINATION LED TO THE TIME TO PENETRATION DROPPING FROM GREATER THAN 2 MINS TO ABOUT HALF THAT. IN ANY CASE, I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED WELL CLR OF THE AIRSPACE. I WAS TOO CASUAL IN MY CONSIDERATION.

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.