Pilot enters restr airspace and class C airspace without clearance when avoiding WX.

Attributes
ACN	443932
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sav.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sav.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	443932
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR from ft pierce, fl, to habersham county, GA (ajr), on top 8500 ft. Used flight following to avoid restr areas. Flight uneventful to GA/fl line, where line of severe thunderstorms encountered, extending to northeast, tops growing, so we went to lower altitudes approximately 2500-3500 ft MSL. Visible rain showers along desired path. Lost flight following due to altitude. Diverted eastward to avoid WX. Continued northeast to savannah area where we landed. When savannah approach was contacted, they said we had violated active restr area and also class C airspace of savannah. There was little traffic in area and no conflict with other aircraft. Was unaware of restr area. Did see airport and circled at what I thought was outside space while I looked up radio frequency -- apparently misjudged distance. Contributing factors: 1) line of severe WX forcing me off intended line of flight. 2) problem of gear motor: landing gear would not retract, occurred after takeoff. 3) air sick passenger in back seat. 4) unhappy spouse in back seat. 5) additional airport near savannah international. 6) strongly encouraged by passenger to land due to air sick passenger. All flight VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERS RESTR AIRSPACE AND CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN AVOIDING WX.

Narrative: VFR FROM FT PIERCE, FL, TO HABERSHAM COUNTY, GA (AJR), ON TOP 8500 FT. USED FLT FOLLOWING TO AVOID RESTR AREAS. FLT UNEVENTFUL TO GA/FL LINE, WHERE LINE OF SEVERE TSTMS ENCOUNTERED, EXTENDING TO NE, TOPS GROWING, SO WE WENT TO LOWER ALTS APPROX 2500-3500 FT MSL. VISIBLE RAIN SHOWERS ALONG DESIRED PATH. LOST FLT FOLLOWING DUE TO ALT. DIVERTED EASTWARD TO AVOID WX. CONTINUED NE TO SAVANNAH AREA WHERE WE LANDED. WHEN SAVANNAH APCH WAS CONTACTED, THEY SAID WE HAD VIOLATED ACTIVE RESTR AREA AND ALSO CLASS C AIRSPACE OF SAVANNAH. THERE WAS LITTLE TFC IN AREA AND NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. WAS UNAWARE OF RESTR AREA. DID SEE ARPT AND CIRCLED AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS OUTSIDE SPACE WHILE I LOOKED UP RADIO FREQ -- APPARENTLY MISJUDGED DISTANCE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LINE OF SEVERE WX FORCING ME OFF INTENDED LINE OF FLT. 2) PROB OF GEAR MOTOR: LNDG GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT, OCCURRED AFTER TKOF. 3) AIR SICK PAX IN BACK SEAT. 4) UNHAPPY SPOUSE IN BACK SEAT. 5) ADDITIONAL ARPT NEAR SAVANNAH INTL. 6) STRONGLY ENCOURAGED BY PAX TO LAND DUE TO AIR SICK PAX. ALL FLT VFR.

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.