Narrative:

On a VFR flight from oceano to santa monica, ca, I was approaching rzs (san marcos) VORTAC, trying to stay 500 ft below variable cloud bases. Upon reaching approximately 20 NM from rzs, I realized that I would not be able to cross the ridge there because of cloud obscuration. I therefore decided to divert to the west where I could see a clear area under the clouds above the ridge, and did cross the ridge at approximately 3700 ft MSL. I thereupon encountered more cloudiness and dropped down to 3000 ft, looking for traffic and trying to avoid clouds and not get into IFR conditions. About 3 NM west of santa barbara airport I spotted the runways and called santa barbara approach on 120.55, identing myself and asking for radar advisories. I was aware of the class D airspace around and above sba airport and maintained 500 ft above its ceiling, but I did not realize that I had incurred into class C airspace until I was switched to 125.4 santa barbara approach and given a phone number to copy and call. Upon landing at smo, I called the sba tower operations supervisor and explained that I inadvertently trespassed into his class C airspace without clearance because of the additional workload of avoiding clouds and watching for traffic during my diversion. Ordinarily if I cross the ridge at rzs, I do not have to worry about class C incursions, but it became a factor which I had forgotten about when I diverted. The operations supervisor informed me that he had me on his radar all the way and that I was not a factor to any traffic in his area. He accepted my apologies or so I felt after our conversation and I told him that I think I have learned my lesson, to wit: review my VFR charts of my route before VFR flts, because once airborne, additional unforeseen workloads may not be conducive to chart study during critical phases of the flight. I suppose I could have avoided the whole situation by filing IFR, but I was intent on getting back to smo as expeditiously as possible, and felt that VFR would be the better choice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ERRONEOUSLY ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE AT SBA.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM OCEANO TO SANTA MONICA, CA, I WAS APCHING RZS (SAN MARCOS) VORTAC, TRYING TO STAY 500 FT BELOW VARIABLE CLOUD BASES. UPON REACHING APPROX 20 NM FROM RZS, I REALIZED THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CROSS THE RIDGE THERE BECAUSE OF CLOUD OBSCURATION. I THEREFORE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO THE W WHERE I COULD SEE A CLR AREA UNDER THE CLOUDS ABOVE THE RIDGE, AND DID CROSS THE RIDGE AT APPROX 3700 FT MSL. I THEREUPON ENCOUNTERED MORE CLOUDINESS AND DROPPED DOWN TO 3000 FT, LOOKING FOR TFC AND TRYING TO AVOID CLOUDS AND NOT GET INTO IFR CONDITIONS. ABOUT 3 NM W OF SANTA BARBARA ARPT I SPOTTED THE RWYS AND CALLED SANTA BARBARA APCH ON 120.55, IDENTING MYSELF AND ASKING FOR RADAR ADVISORIES. I WAS AWARE OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AROUND AND ABOVE SBA ARPT AND MAINTAINED 500 FT ABOVE ITS CEILING, BUT I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD INCURRED INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE UNTIL I WAS SWITCHED TO 125.4 SANTA BARBARA APCH AND GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO COPY AND CALL. UPON LNDG AT SMO, I CALLED THE SBA TWR OPS SUPVR AND EXPLAINED THAT I INADVERTENTLY TRESPASSED INTO HIS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD OF AVOIDING CLOUDS AND WATCHING FOR TFC DURING MY DIVERSION. ORDINARILY IF I CROSS THE RIDGE AT RZS, I DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CLASS C INCURSIONS, BUT IT BECAME A FACTOR WHICH I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT WHEN I DIVERTED. THE OPS SUPVR INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD ME ON HIS RADAR ALL THE WAY AND THAT I WAS NOT A FACTOR TO ANY TFC IN HIS AREA. HE ACCEPTED MY APOLOGIES OR SO I FELT AFTER OUR CONVERSATION AND I TOLD HIM THAT I THINK I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON, TO WIT: REVIEW MY VFR CHARTS OF MY RTE BEFORE VFR FLTS, BECAUSE ONCE AIRBORNE, ADDITIONAL UNFORESEEN WORKLOADS MAY NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO CHART STUDY DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF THE FLT. I SUPPOSE I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE WHOLE SIT BY FILING IFR, BUT I WAS INTENT ON GETTING BACK TO SMO AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, AND FELT THAT VFR WOULD BE THE BETTER CHOICE.

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.