Pilot entered class C airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	428801
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fay.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm Ice
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 6750
ASRS Report	428801
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route, flight from wilmington, de, to waiter boro, sc, in C310 with pilot and 2 other pilot passenger. WX conditions VFR at departure. Obtained FSS briefing. Navigation via GPS route with VOR backup along route of flight. Initial altitude 6500 ft, heading ssw. At approximately fay/rdu, some deviation required due to cloud buildups, rain showers. The +/-50 degrees of route. Some altitude deviation required also to maintain VFR. When contacted rdu approach they advised fay had advised of possible airspace incursion. Also advised that our assigned transponder code/altitude readout not correct and to turn off (error greater than 300 ft). Descended to +/- 3000 ft to continue flight under VFR conditions. Landing waiter boro, sc, approximately XA30 on same no international flight path or altitude into noted airspace, with no GPS flight path airspace alerts and VOR backup. 1) suspect encoder problem -- to be put in for maintenance/service as required. 2) flight involved significant WX in and around area with no on-board WX detection equipment. 3) WX, as it developed because more significant than forecast by FSS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE, FLT FROM WILMINGTON, DE, TO WAITER BORO, SC, IN C310 WITH PLT AND 2 OTHER PLT PAX. WX CONDITIONS VFR AT DEP. OBTAINED FSS BRIEFING. NAV VIA GPS RTE WITH VOR BACKUP ALONG RTE OF FLT. INITIAL ALT 6500 FT, HDG SSW. AT APPROX FAY/RDU, SOME DEV REQUIRED DUE TO CLOUD BUILDUPS, RAIN SHOWERS. THE +/-50 DEGS OF RTE. SOME ALTDEV REQUIRED ALSO TO MAINTAIN VFR. WHEN CONTACTED RDU APCH THEY ADVISED FAY HAD ADVISED OF POSSIBLE AIRSPACE INCURSION. ALSO ADVISED THAT OUR ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE/ALT READOUT NOT CORRECT AND TO TURN OFF (ERROR GREATER THAN 300 FT). DSNDED TO +/- 3000 FT TO CONTINUE FLT UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. LNDG WAITER BORO, SC, APPROX XA30 ON SAME NO INTL FLT PATH OR ALT INTO NOTED AIRSPACE, WITH NO GPS FLT PATH AIRSPACE ALERTS AND VOR BACKUP. 1) SUSPECT ENCODER PROB -- TO BE PUT IN FOR MAINT/SVC AS REQUIRED. 2) FLT INVOLVED SIGNIFICANT WX IN AND AROUND AREA WITH NO ON-BOARD WX DETECTION EQUIP. 3) WX, AS IT DEVELOPED BECAUSE MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN FORECAST BY FSS.

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.