Pilot of a cessna super skymaster P337, on a VFR flight, penetrated class D airspace during descent ...

Attributes
ACN	424210
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mod airport : o15
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Super Skymaster
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	424210
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

MVFR. Returning from pao to O15, san joaquin valley fog, haze. Using LORAN to navigation and pilotage, requested flight following from stockton approach and had been monitoring stockton approach and modesto tower. When I called stockton and reported my location -- 180 degree radial and 4 mi DME -- I then realized I had entered modesto's class D airspace and immediately turned south to get out of their airspace and reported I was 5 DME modesto. (I had reported 4 DME to stockton.) there was no traffic conflict as I was monitoring modesto tower and stockton. I could not see the modesto airport environment due to the MVFR. Pure pilot error and inattn as I did have #1 navigation in the RMI mode and just did not recognize 'it' till I had entered their airspace. This is a common route for me -- O15 direct pao and return. I was just too complacent, as I usually am outside modesto's airspace by 1 mi. I am embarrassed and disappointed in this. I also just completed phase 3 of the wings program. Instead of flight following, I will file IFR and use the system and be 'monitored' all the way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CESSNA SUPER SKYMASTER P337, ON A VFR FLT, PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE DURING DSCNT TO HOME BASE. HE RECOGNIZED HIS MISTAKE AND DEPARTED OUT OF IT AT ONCE.

Narrative: MVFR. RETURNING FROM PAO TO O15, SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FOG, HAZE. USING LORAN TO NAV AND PILOTAGE, REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING FROM STOCKTON APCH AND HAD BEEN MONITORING STOCKTON APCH AND MODESTO TWR. WHEN I CALLED STOCKTON AND RPTED MY LOCATION -- 180 DEG RADIAL AND 4 MI DME -- I THEN REALIZED I HAD ENTERED MODESTO'S CLASS D AIRSPACE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED S TO GET OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND RPTED I WAS 5 DME MODESTO. (I HAD RPTED 4 DME TO STOCKTON.) THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AS I WAS MONITORING MODESTO TWR AND STOCKTON. I COULD NOT SEE THE MODESTO ARPT ENVIRONMENT DUE TO THE MVFR. PURE PLT ERROR AND INATTN AS I DID HAVE #1 NAV IN THE RMI MODE AND JUST DID NOT RECOGNIZE 'IT' TILL I HAD ENTERED THEIR AIRSPACE. THIS IS A COMMON RTE FOR ME -- O15 DIRECT PAO AND RETURN. I WAS JUST TOO COMPLACENT, AS I USUALLY AM OUTSIDE MODESTO'S AIRSPACE BY 1 MI. I AM EMBARRASSED AND DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. I ALSO JUST COMPLETED PHASE 3 OF THE WINGS PROGRAM. INSTEAD OF FLT FOLLOWING, I WILL FILE IFR AND USE THE SYS AND BE 'MONITORED' ALL THE WAY.

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.

Pilot of a cessna super skymaster P337, on a VFR flight, penetrated class D airspace during descent to home base. He recognized his mistake and departed out of it at once.