C177 pilot penetrated class D airspace without establishing radio contact. This happened twice.

Attributes
ACN	413628
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : arb
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : arb artcc : czvr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 420 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	413628
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching yip from the west for landing, VFR, descending, called yip tower, announced position and intent. Tower acknowledged and instructed me to report. I forgot about arb class D before yip. Yip tower told me to call arb tower after asking me to identify. I was about 3 NM northwest of arb by then at 3000 ft. The yip tower controller said 'hang on' and he would contact arb for me. Top of class D is 3300 ft MSL. Causes include: not thinking in VFR mode -- I fly mostly IFR. Concerned about listening to yip and not my position. I will be updating to a new hand-held GPS with class D airspace marked unlike current units in my plane. Need to plan for VFR clrncs unlike IFR where everything is automatic. Takeoff from yip on runway 5, left turn to course, destination azo 280 degrees magnetic. Stopped climbing at 2500 ft in order to stay clear of class B above 3000 ft. Forgot to consider ann arbor class D which extends up to 3300 ft. May have incurred northern portion of class D. Realized it later that day. Was listening to yip controller (tower) after takeoff, but they made no mention (they don't have to, of course). Have been flying mostly IFR and grown accustomed to being handed off and cleared automatically through airspaces. Didn't check the sectional close enough before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT. THIS HAPPENED TWICE.

Narrative: APCHING YIP FROM THE W FOR LNDG, VFR, DSNDING, CALLED YIP TWR, ANNOUNCED POS AND INTENT. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND INSTRUCTED ME TO RPT. I FORGOT ABOUT ARB CLASS D BEFORE YIP. YIP TWR TOLD ME TO CALL ARB TWR AFTER ASKING ME TO IDENT. I WAS ABOUT 3 NM NW OF ARB BY THEN AT 3000 FT. THE YIP TWR CTLR SAID 'HANG ON' AND HE WOULD CONTACT ARB FOR ME. TOP OF CLASS D IS 3300 FT MSL. CAUSES INCLUDE: NOT THINKING IN VFR MODE -- I FLY MOSTLY IFR. CONCERNED ABOUT LISTENING TO YIP AND NOT MY POS. I WILL BE UPDATING TO A NEW HAND-HELD GPS WITH CLASS D AIRSPACE MARKED UNLIKE CURRENT UNITS IN MY PLANE. NEED TO PLAN FOR VFR CLRNCS UNLIKE IFR WHERE EVERYTHING IS AUTOMATIC. TKOF FROM YIP ON RWY 5, L TURN TO COURSE, DEST AZO 280 DEGS MAGNETIC. STOPPED CLBING AT 2500 FT IN ORDER TO STAY CLR OF CLASS B ABOVE 3000 FT. FORGOT TO CONSIDER ANN ARBOR CLASS D WHICH EXTENDS UP TO 3300 FT. MAY HAVE INCURRED NORTHERN PORTION OF CLASS D. REALIZED IT LATER THAT DAY. WAS LISTENING TO YIP CTLR (TWR) AFTER TKOF, BUT THEY MADE NO MENTION (THEY DON'T HAVE TO, OF COURSE). HAVE BEEN FLYING MOSTLY IFR AND GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO BEING HANDED OFF AND CLRED AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH AIRSPACES. DIDN'T CHK THE SECTIONAL CLOSE ENOUGH BEFORE TKOF.

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.