Narrative:

Upon returning from a nighttime VFR flight from pou airport, I decided to see the manhattan skyline at night, using the prescribed VFR routing along the hudson river. I reached the 'northport stacks' (visual reporting point for frg, 13 mi northeast of said airport). I turned west to a heading of 280 degrees and descended to 1200 ft AGL in order to transit under the new york class B airspace. Approximately 6 mi from the new york/connecticut shoreline, I dropped a full can of soda, which ended up wedged under the right rudder control pedal. During the next 5-7 mins it took to remove the soda can, I crossed the shoreline and, I believe, entered hpn airspace without clearance. I saw the airport and executed an immediate 180 degree turn and returned to frg. The event unnerved me so much, I cannot verify if I asked permission from frg ground control to return to the plane's parking spot. Since I am a newly certified private pilot, I believe my training lacks practice in cumulative problems, which result from a single event. I did not lose control of the airplane at any time, however, my situational awareness was preoccupied with removing the can, resulting in a dangerous action which could have affected the lives of other people as well as myself. Much training is given engine failures, electrical and communication problems. This was a small problem which elevated to a major one in a short period of time. I realize that my lack of experience and low flight time contributed heavily to these 2 incidents. For me and my future as a pilot, I can only hope that an excessive attention to detail will never let an event like this get out of control again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT PENETRATES HPN CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: UPON RETURNING FROM A NIGHTTIME VFR FLT FROM POU ARPT, I DECIDED TO SEE THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE AT NIGHT, USING THE PRESCRIBED VFR ROUTING ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER. I REACHED THE 'NORTHPORT STACKS' (VISUAL RPTING POINT FOR FRG, 13 MI NE OF SAID ARPT). I TURNED W TO A HDG OF 280 DEGS AND DSNDED TO 1200 FT AGL IN ORDER TO TRANSIT UNDER THE NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE. APPROX 6 MI FROM THE NEW YORK/CONNECTICUT SHORELINE, I DROPPED A FULL CAN OF SODA, WHICH ENDED UP WEDGED UNDER THE R RUDDER CTL PEDAL. DURING THE NEXT 5-7 MINS IT TOOK TO REMOVE THE SODA CAN, I CROSSED THE SHORELINE AND, I BELIEVE, ENTERED HPN AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. I SAW THE ARPT AND EXECUTED AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEG TURN AND RETURNED TO FRG. THE EVENT UNNERVED ME SO MUCH, I CANNOT VERIFY IF I ASKED PERMISSION FROM FRG GND CTL TO RETURN TO THE PLANE'S PARKING SPOT. SINCE I AM A NEWLY CERTIFIED PVT PLT, I BELIEVE MY TRAINING LACKS PRACTICE IN CUMULATIVE PROBS, WHICH RESULT FROM A SINGLE EVENT. I DID NOT LOSE CTL OF THE AIRPLANE AT ANY TIME, HOWEVER, MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH REMOVING THE CAN, RESULTING IN A DANGEROUS ACTION WHICH COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL AS MYSELF. MUCH TRAINING IS GIVEN ENG FAILURES, ELECTRICAL AND COM PROBS. THIS WAS A SMALL PROB WHICH ELEVATED TO A MAJOR ONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I REALIZE THAT MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND LOW FLT TIME CONTRIBUTED HEAVILY TO THESE 2 INCIDENTS. FOR ME AND MY FUTURE AS A PLT, I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT AN EXCESSIVE ATTN TO DETAIL WILL NEVER LET AN EVENT LIKE THIS GET OUT OF CTL AGAIN.

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.