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C172 pilot inadvertently enters class B airspace due to a lack of familiarity with GPS operation and failure to utilize backup navigation equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 592388 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : dxo.vor |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4250 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 592388 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was in a C172SP for the first time in yrs, thinking I had the GPS all figured out, not backing up my navigation with vors. Besides, I am a B747 captain for a major airline and need something with DME or distance readout. I'd received a cursory explanation of the GPS operation a month ago when I checked out in the cessna, so I thought I had it wired. When I realized where I really was my heart jumped into my throat, because I'd probably clipped the class B airspace! At the very least it had been way too close for comfort. Pilotage had served well to a point, but I just wasn't that familiar with the area, and this ws my first trip over this area at low altitude. It was a short flight, so the navigation requirements were minimal, but I'd not met the minimum requirements! Lessons learned: know your equipment, don't make due with less than thorough system knowledge, and back it up with all available information, in this case VOR's and even NDB's would have helped.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE DUE TO A LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH GPS OP AND FAILURE TO UTILIZE BACKUP NAV EQUIP.
Narrative: I WAS IN A C172SP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YRS, THINKING I HAD THE GPS ALL FIGURED OUT, NOT BACKING UP MY NAV WITH VORS. BESIDES, I AM A B747 CAPT FOR A MAJOR AIRLINE AND NEED SOMETHING WITH DME OR DISTANCE READOUT. I'D RECEIVED A CURSORY EXPLANATION OF THE GPS OP A MONTH AGO WHEN I CHKED OUT IN THE CESSNA, SO I THOUGHT I HAD IT WIRED. WHEN I REALIZED WHERE I REALLY WAS MY HEART JUMPED INTO MY THROAT, BECAUSE I'D PROBABLY CLIPPED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE! AT THE VERY LEAST IT HAD BEEN WAY TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. PILOTAGE HAD SERVED WELL TO A POINT, BUT I JUST WASN'T THAT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND THIS WS MY FIRST TRIP OVER THIS AREA AT LOW ALT. IT WAS A SHORT FLT, SO THE NAV REQUIREMENTS WERE MINIMAL, BUT I'D NOT MET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS! LESSONS LEARNED: KNOW YOUR EQUIP, DON'T MAKE DUE WITH LESS THAN THOROUGH SYS KNOWLEDGE, AND BACK IT UP WITH ALL AVAILABLE INFO, IN THIS CASE VOR'S AND EVEN NDB'S WOULD HAVE HELPED.
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.