An instructor and his student climb into class C airspace without authority/authorized during a nigh...

Attributes
ACN	374770
Time
Date	199707
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : akr
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 430 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	374770
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR night training flight to meet private pilot requirements took off about XA00 from cleveland, oh. First night flight for student so I was focusing on night pilotage for navigation. Contacted akron-canton approach control for flight following. Established communication 15 mi from akron-canton. Destination was akron- fulton in downtown akron. Had trouble locating airport. Controller had called airport 10 O'clock, 2 mi, when it was actually 2 O'clock. Finally saw hangars and activated lights on CTAF. Entered pattern and executed touch-and-go. On climb out, I realized we were still in class C airspace climbing through 3000 ft MSL, above floor of outer ring (2500 ft MSL). Told student to descend down to 2400 ft and proceeded direct to aco (akron VOR). During the climb out, I was more concerned with gaining altitude for better VOR reception than in maintaining positional awareness and remaining clear of class C. Better preflight planning on my part may have averted this airspace violation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT CLB INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT AUTH DURING A NIGHT TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: VFR NIGHT TRAINING FLT TO MEET PVT PLT REQUIREMENTS TOOK OFF ABOUT XA00 FROM CLEVELAND, OH. FIRST NIGHT FLT FOR STUDENT SO I WAS FOCUSING ON NIGHT PILOTAGE FOR NAV. CONTACTED AKRON-CANTON APCH CTL FOR FLT FOLLOWING. ESTABLISHED COM 15 MI FROM AKRON-CANTON. DEST WAS AKRON- FULTON IN DOWNTOWN AKRON. HAD TROUBLE LOCATING ARPT. CTLR HAD CALLED ARPT 10 O'CLOCK, 2 MI, WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY 2 O'CLOCK. FINALLY SAW HANGARS AND ACTIVATED LIGHTS ON CTAF. ENTERED PATTERN AND EXECUTED TOUCH-AND-GO. ON CLB OUT, I REALIZED WE WERE STILL IN CLASS C AIRSPACE CLBING THROUGH 3000 FT MSL, ABOVE FLOOR OF OUTER RING (2500 FT MSL). TOLD STUDENT TO DSND DOWN TO 2400 FT AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO ACO (AKRON VOR). DURING THE CLB OUT, I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH GAINING ALT FOR BETTER VOR RECEPTION THAN IN MAINTAINING POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND REMAINING CLR OF CLASS C. BETTER PREFLT PLANNING ON MY PART MAY HAVE AVERTED THIS AIRSPACE VIOLATION.

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.

An instructor and his student climb into class C airspace without authority/authorized during a night training flight.