Pilot of PA28 inadvertently entered ecg class D airspace without radio contact. Reversed course and ...

Attributes
ACN	581254
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ecg.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1790
ASRS Report	581254
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying southeast to northwest approximately 3 KM southwest of ecg VOR at 2000 ft MSL, became aware of inadvertent penetration of ecg air traffic area. Immediately switched to control tower frequency and turned west to exit the air traffic area. Noticed no traffic in air traffic area and no communications on tower frequency. I believe the error in navigation was caused by a combination of factors. 1) planned flight was to be IFR but due to thunderstorm activity along route. IFR charts were initially being used for navigation and air traffic area's and control zones are not prominent features of IFR charts. 2) pilot in right seat was sharing navigation duties. He was managing the charts, setting radio frequencys and monitoring the course. However, this pilot had not actively been flying in several yrs and was not quite as proficient as I had thought. 3) we were in the process of and having difficulty contacting flight watch to obtain en route WX. This difficulty had us busy searching the charts for alternative frequencys for WX information. Ultimately as PIC, I am responsible for all facets of flight. I should have been more vigilant with regard to the navigation of this flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA28 INADVERTENTLY ENTERED ECG CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT. REVERSED COURSE AND EXITED.

Narrative: FLYING SE TO NW APPROX 3 KM SW OF ECG VOR AT 2000 FT MSL, BECAME AWARE OF INADVERTENT PENETRATION OF ECG ATA. IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO CTL TWR FREQ AND TURNED W TO EXIT THE ATA. NOTICED NO TFC IN ATA AND NO COMS ON TWR FREQ. I BELIEVE THE ERROR IN NAV WAS CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF FACTORS. 1) PLANNED FLT WAS TO BE IFR BUT DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY ALONG RTE. IFR CHARTS WERE INITIALLY BEING USED FOR NAV AND ATA'S AND CTL ZONES ARE NOT PROMINENT FEATURES OF IFR CHARTS. 2) PLT IN R SEAT WAS SHARING NAV DUTIES. HE WAS MANAGING THE CHARTS, SETTING RADIO FREQS AND MONITORING THE COURSE. HOWEVER, THIS PLT HAD NOT ACTIVELY BEEN FLYING IN SEVERAL YRS AND WAS NOT QUITE AS PROFICIENT AS I HAD THOUGHT. 3) WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF AND HAVING DIFFICULTY CONTACTING FLT WATCH TO OBTAIN ENRTE WX. THIS DIFFICULTY HAD US BUSY SEARCHING THE CHARTS FOR ALTERNATIVE FREQS FOR WX INFO. ULTIMATELY AS PIC, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FACETS OF FLT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT WITH REGARD TO THE NAV OF THIS FLT.

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.

Pilot of PA28 inadvertently entered ecg class D airspace without radio contact. Reversed course and exited.