Narrative:

Planned to fly GPS direct from flabob airport to sacramento executive airport. Programmed GPS and departed to the west (runway 24 as I recall), straight out initially. Was aware that ont airport was northwest of my departure location (flabob airport). Did not receive/notice a GPS message that I was approaching within class C airspace. First time visit to this airport, not familiar with airspace in vicinity of departure airport. Did not adequately review la terminal chart during preflight. Some distraction by passenger during climb out. Unable to establish immediate contact with ATC to request flight following (entry into class C). Relied on GPS to warn me of approach to restr and special use airspace. When contact with ATC was established, I was informed that I was already within class C. GPS scale was at 10 NM and did not show limits of class C or provide warning message. Reference to la terminal chart indicates that outer limit of class C is entered immediate on 'wb' takeoff from flabob airport. Note -- initial attempt to contact ATC failed (wrong frequency). Assume GPS warning not received/noticed due to: map scale factor (10 NM) and location of class C to flabob airport. Thoroughly review all aspects of sectional/terminal charts prior to each departure. Select appropriate map scale when using GPS in terminal environment. Ensure appropriate frequency to contact ATC to establish radio contact is known. Inform passenger to minimize conversation during takeoff/climb out phase of flight. Do not rely on GPS (exclusively) for situational awareness, never 'assume' anything, get plenty of sleep!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE33 PLT ENTERED ONT CLASS C BEFORE ESTABLISHING COM WITH SCT CTLR.

Narrative: PLANNED TO FLY GPS DIRECT FROM FLABOB ARPT TO SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE ARPT. PROGRAMMED GPS AND DEPARTED TO THE W (RWY 24 AS I RECALL), STRAIGHT OUT INITIALLY. WAS AWARE THAT ONT ARPT WAS NW OF MY DEP LOCATION (FLABOB ARPT). DID NOT RECEIVE/NOTICE A GPS MESSAGE THAT I WAS APCHING WITHIN CLASS C AIRSPACE. FIRST TIME VISIT TO THIS ARPT, NOT FAMILIAR WITH AIRSPACE IN VICINITY OF DEP ARPT. DID NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEW LA TERMINAL CHART DURING PREFLT. SOME DISTR BY PAX DURING CLBOUT. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH ATC TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING (ENTRY INTO CLASS C). RELIED ON GPS TO WARN ME OF APCH TO RESTR AND SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE. WHEN CONTACT WITH ATC WAS ESTABLISHED, I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS ALREADY WITHIN CLASS C. GPS SCALE WAS AT 10 NM AND DID NOT SHOW LIMITS OF CLASS C OR PROVIDE WARNING MESSAGE. REF TO LA TERMINAL CHART INDICATES THAT OUTER LIMIT OF CLASS C IS ENTERED IMMEDIATE ON 'WB' TKOF FROM FLABOB ARPT. NOTE -- INITIAL ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ATC FAILED (WRONG FREQ). ASSUME GPS WARNING NOT RECEIVED/NOTICED DUE TO: MAP SCALE FACTOR (10 NM) AND LOCATION OF CLASS C TO FLABOB ARPT. THOROUGHLY REVIEW ALL ASPECTS OF SECTIONAL/TERMINAL CHARTS PRIOR TO EACH DEP. SELECT APPROPRIATE MAP SCALE WHEN USING GPS IN TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT. ENSURE APPROPRIATE FREQ TO CONTACT ATC TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT IS KNOWN. INFORM PAX TO MINIMIZE CONVERSATION DURING TKOF/CLBOUT PHASE OF FLT. DO NOT RELY ON GPS (EXCLUSIVELY) FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, NEVER 'ASSUME' ANYTHING, GET PLENTY OF SLEEP!

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.