An small aircraft pilot finds MVFR WX en route while on a no flight plan flight. Climbing up through...

Attributes
ACN	422590
Time
Date	199812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	422590
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight into class C airspace without ATC permission, while climbing to VFR on top cruise flight. Airspace violation occurred as a result of climbing to 3000 ft MSL, through 2200/4200 class C's outer ring without contacting approach. Sequence of events: departing ues, wi, to intersect 155 degree radial from bae VOR en route to lakeshore, to fly south to miegs field, chicago, encountered MVFR at 2000 ft MSL. Began climb through 'hole' to go VFR on top. In process of 'chasing' hole, neglected to tune proper VOR radial until 'on top,' at which time PIC realized that position was well northeast of intended radial track. Turned to proper heading, intersected lakeshore north of intended intersection point, then continued south to destination. When initial contact with miegs tower was made after 5-6 attempts, PIC was instructed to call chicago approach. Attempts failed to raise approach due to congestion. Again called miegs tower for permission to enter class D airspace. Clearance received. During rollout I was asked to copy phone number to call chicago approach supervisor. Call was made from terminal. Chicago instructed PIC to call mke approach supervisor. At this time it was obvious a violation of airspace had been made. Root cause: 1) PIC loss of positional awareness and preflight instrument settings of VOR frequency and radial. 2) lack of communication by PIC -- to mke approach for flight following, etc. Corrective action, lessons learned: 1) use ATC/local approach/departure services at all times when maneuvering and/or transitioning near airspace. 2) adherence to personal flight plan and more thorough review of rate of flight and surrounding airspace to understand proximity of flight path to class D, C, B, airspaces.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FINDS MVFR WX ENRTE WHILE ON A NO FLT PLAN FLT. CLBING UP THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CLOUD LAYER, HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERS MKE CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLT INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT ATC PERMISSION, WHILE CLBING TO VFR ON TOP CRUISE FLT. AIRSPACE VIOLATION OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF CLBING TO 3000 FT MSL, THROUGH 2200/4200 CLASS C'S OUTER RING WITHOUT CONTACTING APCH. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS: DEPARTING UES, WI, TO INTERSECT 155 DEG RADIAL FROM BAE VOR ENRTE TO LAKESHORE, TO FLY S TO MIEGS FIELD, CHICAGO, ENCOUNTERED MVFR AT 2000 FT MSL. BEGAN CLB THROUGH 'HOLE' TO GO VFR ON TOP. IN PROCESS OF 'CHASING' HOLE, NEGLECTED TO TUNE PROPER VOR RADIAL UNTIL 'ON TOP,' AT WHICH TIME PIC REALIZED THAT POS WAS WELL NE OF INTENDED RADIAL TRACK. TURNED TO PROPER HDG, INTERSECTED LAKESHORE N OF INTENDED INTXN POINT, THEN CONTINUED S TO DEST. WHEN INITIAL CONTACT WITH MIEGS TWR WAS MADE AFTER 5-6 ATTEMPTS, PIC WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL CHICAGO APCH. ATTEMPTS FAILED TO RAISE APCH DUE TO CONGESTION. AGAIN CALLED MIEGS TWR FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER CLASS D AIRSPACE. CLRNC RECEIVED. DURING ROLLOUT I WAS ASKED TO COPY PHONE NUMBER TO CALL CHICAGO APCH SUPVR. CALL WAS MADE FROM TERMINAL. CHICAGO INSTRUCTED PIC TO CALL MKE APCH SUPVR. AT THIS TIME IT WAS OBVIOUS A VIOLATION OF AIRSPACE HAD BEEN MADE. ROOT CAUSE: 1) PIC LOSS OF POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND PREFLT INST SETTINGS OF VOR FREQ AND RADIAL. 2) LACK OF COM BY PIC -- TO MKE APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING, ETC. CORRECTIVE ACTION, LESSONS LEARNED: 1) USE ATC/LCL APCH/DEP SVCS AT ALL TIMES WHEN MANEUVERING AND/OR TRANSITIONING NEAR AIRSPACE. 2) ADHERENCE TO PERSONAL FLT PLAN AND MORE THOROUGH REVIEW OF RATE OF FLT AND SURROUNDING AIRSPACE TO UNDERSTAND PROX OF FLT PATH TO CLASS D, C, B, AIRSPACES.

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 small aircraft pilot finds MVFR WX en route while on a no flight plan flight. Climbing up through a hole in the cloud layer, he inadvertently enters mke class C airspace.