Narrative:

Flying to dxr, ct, on arrival, they had an emergency in pattern. Elected not to land (to decrease controller load) and began heading back to ewb, ma, VFR, at approximately 2000 ft MSL. Attempted to pick up an IFR flight plan back to ewb (it had been filed for XA15 and time was XA15). Called new york approach and they had me try another new york approach frequency who suggested I try boston who suggested bradley approach. The approach controller gave me a transponder code, told me to remain VFR. I was navigating primarily by my GNS530 with charts present but not out. I looked down and found myself close to oxc (approximately 3 mi) at 2000 ft MSL. The controller asked me if anyone had asked me to call the tower at oxc. I stated 'no.' he then stated, 'it appears as though you violated their class D airspace.' he then proceeded to issue my IFR clearance and the flight proceeded uneventfully back to ewb. This problem arose from an over reliance on the GNS530 for primary navigation without the additional use of charts for positional awareness and airspace awareness. Had I had my sectional out (it was next to me folded in chart case) and known my position precisely, I would have known that oxc was class D. Either I would have asked the tower for permission to transit or, more likely, avoided it altogether. Going through 4 approach frequencys to get my IFR clearance compounded the problem and made me neglect my primary responsibilities of navigating with precision. Over reliance on the GNS530 was an additional factor. Corrective action includes: navigating with current sectionals and always knowing precisely where I am in relation to sua and all airports and current airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE36 PLT ENTERED OXC CLASS D AIRSPACE INADVERTENTLY.

Narrative: FLYING TO DXR, CT, ON ARR, THEY HAD AN EMER IN PATTERN. ELECTED NOT TO LAND (TO DECREASE CTLR LOAD) AND BEGAN HEADING BACK TO EWB, MA, VFR, AT APPROX 2000 FT MSL. ATTEMPTED TO PICK UP AN IFR FLT PLAN BACK TO EWB (IT HAD BEEN FILED FOR XA15 AND TIME WAS XA15). CALLED NEW YORK APCH AND THEY HAD ME TRY ANOTHER NEW YORK APCH FREQ WHO SUGGESTED I TRY BOSTON WHO SUGGESTED BRADLEY APCH. THE APCH CTLR GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE, TOLD ME TO REMAIN VFR. I WAS NAVING PRIMARILY BY MY GNS530 WITH CHARTS PRESENT BUT NOT OUT. I LOOKED DOWN AND FOUND MYSELF CLOSE TO OXC (APPROX 3 MI) AT 2000 FT MSL. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF ANYONE HAD ASKED ME TO CALL THE TWR AT OXC. I STATED 'NO.' HE THEN STATED, 'IT APPEARS AS THOUGH YOU VIOLATED THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE.' HE THEN PROCEEDED TO ISSUE MY IFR CLRNC AND THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY BACK TO EWB. THIS PROB AROSE FROM AN OVER RELIANCE ON THE GNS530 FOR PRIMARY NAV WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL USE OF CHARTS FOR POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND AIRSPACE AWARENESS. HAD I HAD MY SECTIONAL OUT (IT WAS NEXT TO ME FOLDED IN CHART CASE) AND KNOWN MY POS PRECISELY, I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT OXC WAS CLASS D. EITHER I WOULD HAVE ASKED THE TWR FOR PERMISSION TO TRANSIT OR, MORE LIKELY, AVOIDED IT ALTOGETHER. GOING THROUGH 4 APCH FREQS TO GET MY IFR CLRNC COMPOUNDED THE PROB AND MADE ME NEGLECT MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF NAVING WITH PRECISION. OVER RELIANCE ON THE GNS530 WAS AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR. CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDES: NAVING WITH CURRENT SECTIONALS AND ALWAYS KNOWING PRECISELY WHERE I AM IN RELATION TO SUA AND ALL ARPTS AND CURRENT AIRSPACE.

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.