Narrative:

After departing cottage grove (87Y) on runway 27, I failed to turn north soon enough and strayed into madison's class C airspace, causing an near midair collision with another aircraft. The visibility was limited to 4 mi with haze. Sky was clear. When I returned to cottage grove, I was told to call the tower in madison. They informed me of the near midair collision and took my name and phone number. I should have called madison approach when I took off. They would have prevented this problem. My failure to call ATC and not turning to the north away from madison's airspace were the main reasons for this incident. Limited visibility and inexperience were also factors. It is not required that we contact ATC, but this incident could have been avoided by doing so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 NON INST RATED PVT PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS C AIRSPACE DURING DEP FROM AN UNDERLYING UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING COTTAGE GROVE (87Y) ON RWY 27, I FAILED TO TURN N SOON ENOUGH AND STRAYED INTO MADISON'S CLASS C AIRSPACE, CAUSING AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER ACFT. THE VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED TO 4 MI WITH HAZE. SKY WAS CLR. WHEN I RETURNED TO COTTAGE GROVE, I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TWR IN MADISON. THEY INFORMED ME OF THE NMAC AND TOOK MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED MADISON APCH WHEN I TOOK OFF. THEY WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROB. MY FAILURE TO CALL ATC AND NOT TURNING TO THE N AWAY FROM MADISON'S AIRSPACE WERE THE MAIN REASONS FOR THIS INCIDENT. LIMITED VISIBILITY AND INEXPERIENCE WERE ALSO FACTORS. IT IS NOT REQUIRED THAT WE CONTACT ATC, BUT THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY DOING SO.

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.