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C172 pilot descends below MSA in a populated area due to distraction with radio, airspeed, and retrieval of a chart.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 619166 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lvk.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lvk.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure : vfr |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 2.4 flight time total : 190.1 flight time type : 190.1 |
| ASRS Report | 619166 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I departed lvk after a touch-and-go and departed straight out with the intention to clear the lvk class D airspace and then turn north and follow the highway to continue my flight. As I was climbing out at about 1200 ft MSL, I reduced power to slow my speed a bit in order to get my map out, change radio frequencys, and prepare for my turn north. Once outside of the lvk class D airspace, as I made the turn north over the freeway, I realized I had actually descended to 900 ft MSL as a result of the reduction in power and my failure to correctly set up and trim the plane to compensate for the power change. I immediately applied full power and returned to a maximum rate of climb and continued up to 2500 ft MSL. An altitude of 900 ft MSL above that area could easily be considered flying below MSA's. The contributing factors to this situation included the distraction of focusing on the map and changing radio frequencys as well as my failure to pay attention to my altitude and climb rate after reducing power. I discovered the problem as I turned to the north and scanned my gauges.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PLT DSNDS BELOW MSA IN A POPULATED AREA DUE TO DISTR WITH RADIO, AIRSPD, AND RETRIEVAL OF A CHART.
Narrative: I DEPARTED LVK AFTER A TOUCH-AND-GO AND DEPARTED STRAIGHT OUT WITH THE INTENTION TO CLR THE LVK CLASS D AIRSPACE AND THEN TURN N AND FOLLOW THE HWY TO CONTINUE MY FLT. AS I WAS CLBING OUT AT ABOUT 1200 FT MSL, I REDUCED PWR TO SLOW MY SPD A BIT IN ORDER TO GET MY MAP OUT, CHANGE RADIO FREQS, AND PREPARE FOR MY TURN N. ONCE OUTSIDE OF THE LVK CLASS D AIRSPACE, AS I MADE THE TURN N OVER THE FREEWAY, I REALIZED I HAD ACTUALLY DSNDED TO 900 FT MSL AS A RESULT OF THE REDUCTION IN PWR AND MY FAILURE TO CORRECTLY SET UP AND TRIM THE PLANE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE PWR CHANGE. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PWR AND RETURNED TO A MAX RATE OF CLB AND CONTINUED UP TO 2500 FT MSL. AN ALT OF 900 FT MSL ABOVE THAT AREA COULD EASILY BE CONSIDERED FLYING BELOW MSA'S. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT INCLUDED THE DISTR OF FOCUSING ON THE MAP AND CHANGING RADIO FREQS AS WELL AS MY FAILURE TO PAY ATTN TO MY ALT AND CLB RATE AFTER REDUCING PWR. I DISCOVERED THE PROB AS I TURNED TO THE N AND SCANNED MY GAUGES.
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.