Narrative:

VFR flight from mdz to 261S (schaumberg) at chicago. Departed mdz at XA45 local time. WX was clear with unrestr visibility, wind about 10 KTS from the northeast. Arrived in the chicago vicinity around XC30 local. When I arrived to where I believed the airport was, I took a few mins to search the area to see if I could find it. Big mistake. I believe that I may have violated some airspace east of the area during the search. When I realized the problem I headed to the palwaukee VOR and contacted center to help me locate the airport. They were very helpful, courteous and did a great job and should be commended. Normally, the airport sticks out and is easily identifiable. On this night, the following factors combined to surprise this pilot: 1) very bright lights. 2) fresh bright snow reflecting light. 3) clear starlight night (lights everywhere). 4) no positive airport identify such as an NDB. 5) normal city distracting lights. The airport was so dim in contrast that it appeared to be the darker gray patch. I needed to be within 1 mi and know the O'clock position before I was able to identify it. This flight taught this pilot a number of lessons: 1) there I no routine VFR or IFR flight. 2) a GPS or LORAN would have solved the problem (just ordered a portable lowrance airmap 300 GPS). This will never happen again. I will always have a backup. 3) contacting center sooner for help (swallowing pride). 4) be especially careful about airports located in cities and lighting. Because of the location of this airport, in a metropolitan area, a positive identify on the airport such as an NDB or VOR would help considerably. Sooner or later others will have the same problem as I but maybe not the same result.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ENTERED C90 CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM MDZ TO 261S (SCHAUMBERG) AT CHICAGO. DEPARTED MDZ AT XA45 LCL TIME. WX WAS CLR WITH UNRESTR VISIBILITY, WIND ABOUT 10 KTS FROM THE NE. ARRIVED IN THE CHICAGO VICINITY AROUND XC30 LCL. WHEN I ARRIVED TO WHERE I BELIEVED THE ARPT WAS, I TOOK A FEW MINS TO SEARCH THE AREA TO SEE IF I COULD FIND IT. BIG MISTAKE. I BELIEVE THAT I MAY HAVE VIOLATED SOME AIRSPACE E OF THE AREA DURING THE SEARCH. WHEN I REALIZED THE PROB I HEADED TO THE PALWAUKEE VOR AND CONTACTED CTR TO HELP ME LOCATE THE ARPT. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL, COURTEOUS AND DID A GREAT JOB AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED. NORMALLY, THE ARPT STICKS OUT AND IS EASILY IDENTIFIABLE. ON THIS NIGHT, THE FOLLOWING FACTORS COMBINED TO SURPRISE THIS PLT: 1) VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS. 2) FRESH BRIGHT SNOW REFLECTING LIGHT. 3) CLR STARLIGHT NIGHT (LIGHTS EVERYWHERE). 4) NO POSITIVE ARPT IDENT SUCH AS AN NDB. 5) NORMAL CITY DISTRACTING LIGHTS. THE ARPT WAS SO DIM IN CONTRAST THAT IT APPEARED TO BE THE DARKER GRAY PATCH. I NEEDED TO BE WITHIN 1 MI AND KNOW THE O'CLOCK POS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO IDENT IT. THIS FLT TAUGHT THIS PLT A NUMBER OF LESSONS: 1) THERE I NO ROUTINE VFR OR IFR FLT. 2) A GPS OR LORAN WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE PROB (JUST ORDERED A PORTABLE LOWRANCE AIRMAP 300 GPS). THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP. 3) CONTACTING CTR SOONER FOR HELP (SWALLOWING PRIDE). 4) BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL ABOUT ARPTS LOCATED IN CITIES AND LIGHTING. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THIS ARPT, IN A METRO AREA, A POSITIVE IDENT ON THE ARPT SUCH AS AN NDB OR VOR WOULD HELP CONSIDERABLY. SOONER OR LATER OTHERS WILL HAVE THE SAME PROB AS I BUT MAYBE NOT THE SAME RESULT.

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.