Narrative:

I was flying to toledo suburban airport (lambertville, mi). The day was perfectly clear and I saw all landmarks (in AFD) on my route until approximately 7 mi north of suburban. I kept on a course I believed would take me directly over the airport at 2500 ft MSL, and after locating it, I would enter the pattern and land. Without realizing it I must have passed the airport (which is shrouded by trees) and entered class C airspace without knowing it. I was on 122.7, suburban's CTAF. No tower there. As soon as I realized I was south of the airport, I made a 180 degree turn and went north, found the airport and landed. Suburban airport is about 1 mi north of class C airspace for toledo. I should've been in contact with toledo before going to CTAF for suburban. I put too much faith in the good visibility and I assumed I wouldn't miss the airport. Basically it was a problem of sloppy radio procedures. From now on, I will contact class C airspace within 20 mi to avoid this situation again. I used to do this always as a 'newer' pilot, but lately I've been noticing a decrease in attention to detail. The trip seemed so short (20 mins), 'why bother contacting toledo,' was my attitude. In a way, I'm glad this happened. No harm was done, but I've been made aware that I need to re-focus my attention on safety and not let familiarity, good WX, and short distances decrease my commitment to proper pilot techniques.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH UNCOORD PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE BY THE LOW TIME PVT PLT OF A C152 NEAR TOLEDO, OH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING TO TOLEDO SUBURBAN ARPT (LAMBERTVILLE, MI). THE DAY WAS PERFECTLY CLR AND I SAW ALL LANDMARKS (IN AFD) ON MY RTE UNTIL APPROX 7 MI N OF SUBURBAN. I KEPT ON A COURSE I BELIEVED WOULD TAKE ME DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT AT 2500 FT MSL, AND AFTER LOCATING IT, I WOULD ENTER THE PATTERN AND LAND. WITHOUT REALIZING IT I MUST HAVE PASSED THE ARPT (WHICH IS SHROUDED BY TREES) AND ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT KNOWING IT. I WAS ON 122.7, SUBURBAN'S CTAF. NO TWR THERE. AS SOON AS I REALIZED I WAS S OF THE ARPT, I MADE A 180 DEG TURN AND WENT N, FOUND THE ARPT AND LANDED. SUBURBAN ARPT IS ABOUT 1 MI N OF CLASS C AIRSPACE FOR TOLEDO. I SHOULD'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOLEDO BEFORE GOING TO CTAF FOR SUBURBAN. I PUT TOO MUCH FAITH IN THE GOOD VISIBILITY AND I ASSUMED I WOULDN'T MISS THE ARPT. BASICALLY IT WAS A PROB OF SLOPPY RADIO PROCS. FROM NOW ON, I WILL CONTACT CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHIN 20 MI TO AVOID THIS SIT AGAIN. I USED TO DO THIS ALWAYS AS A 'NEWER' PLT, BUT LATELY I'VE BEEN NOTICING A DECREASE IN ATTN TO DETAIL. THE TRIP SEEMED SO SHORT (20 MINS), 'WHY BOTHER CONTACTING TOLEDO,' WAS MY ATTITUDE. IN A WAY, I'M GLAD THIS HAPPENED. NO HARM WAS DONE, BUT I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT I NEED TO RE-FOCUS MY ATTN ON SAFETY AND NOT LET FAMILIARITY, GOOD WX, AND SHORT DISTANCES DECREASE MY COMMITMENT TO PROPER PLT TECHNIQUES.

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.