Narrative:

I was on a pleasure flight with a friend flying south along the lake michigan shoreline. After leaving ugn airspace, I tuned in the ATIS from cgx as I usually do. Being that far north and at a low altitude, the ATIS came in by bits and pieces. I could only pick up the winds and barometric pressure. I turned down my radio and I turned up the tower frequency to cgx to see what traffic was in the area. There seemed to be nothing unusual at the time. About 8 or 9 NM northeast of cgx, I called the tower to transition their area. When they answered me I was about 7 NM northeast of the field at 1700 ft. They told me to turn east and remain at least 8 mi east of cgx. I turned 090 degrees immediately. At PM00 hours on aug/xa/99, I called FSS for an outlook briefing for the next morning. On the following morning, aug/xb/99, I drove to the airport and upon checking out my plane I found a minor problem. I told my friend that I would call FSS from the maintenance hangar. The problem was fixed and off we went. As I turned south, I remembered that I did not make that call for a briefing. The outlook briefing was for good WX. A tv channel and my WX radio called for good WX. It was a local flight I have made over 100 times. There was an upcoming airshow scheduled to be held in chicago. It never occurred to me that they would be practicing so soon -- much to my surprise, they were. I was where I should not have been. From this incident I learned never to take anything for granted in flying. You can never think things will be business as usual. I should have called FSS before leaving the hangar. I did not. I should have called FSS in the air. I did not. I should have turned the ATIS from cgx back on. I did not. What took place could have been avoided if had taken the time to do what I have always done. On this flight I got sloppy and it bit me. I guarantee it will never happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PVT PLT ENTERS THE SUA OF CGX, IL.

Narrative: I WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH A FRIEND FLYING S ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE. AFTER LEAVING UGN AIRSPACE, I TUNED IN THE ATIS FROM CGX AS I USUALLY DO. BEING THAT FAR N AND AT A LOW ALT, THE ATIS CAME IN BY BITS AND PIECES. I COULD ONLY PICK UP THE WINDS AND BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. I TURNED DOWN MY RADIO AND I TURNED UP THE TWR FREQ TO CGX TO SEE WHAT TFC WAS IN THE AREA. THERE SEEMED TO BE NOTHING UNUSUAL AT THE TIME. ABOUT 8 OR 9 NM NE OF CGX, I CALLED THE TWR TO TRANSITION THEIR AREA. WHEN THEY ANSWERED ME I WAS ABOUT 7 NM NE OF THE FIELD AT 1700 FT. THEY TOLD ME TO TURN E AND REMAIN AT LEAST 8 MI E OF CGX. I TURNED 090 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. AT PM00 HRS ON AUG/XA/99, I CALLED FSS FOR AN OUTLOOK BRIEFING FOR THE NEXT MORNING. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING, AUG/XB/99, I DROVE TO THE ARPT AND UPON CHKING OUT MY PLANE I FOUND A MINOR PROB. I TOLD MY FRIEND THAT I WOULD CALL FSS FROM THE MAINT HANGAR. THE PROB WAS FIXED AND OFF WE WENT. AS I TURNED S, I REMEMBERED THAT I DID NOT MAKE THAT CALL FOR A BRIEFING. THE OUTLOOK BRIEFING WAS FOR GOOD WX. A TV CHANNEL AND MY WX RADIO CALLED FOR GOOD WX. IT WAS A LCL FLT I HAVE MADE OVER 100 TIMES. THERE WAS AN UPCOMING AIRSHOW SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN CHICAGO. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THEY WOULD BE PRACTICING SO SOON -- MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, THEY WERE. I WAS WHERE I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN. FROM THIS INCIDENT I LEARNED NEVER TO TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED IN FLYING. YOU CAN NEVER THINK THINGS WILL BE BUSINESS AS USUAL. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS BEFORE LEAVING THE HANGAR. I DID NOT. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS IN THE AIR. I DID NOT. I SHOULD HAVE TURNED THE ATIS FROM CGX BACK ON. I DID NOT. WHAT TOOK PLACE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO DO WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS DONE. ON THIS FLT I GOT SLOPPY AND IT BIT ME. I GUARANTEE IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN 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.