Narrative:

Departing ZZZ airport I realized I needed to file IFR since the ceilings were around 900 ft. I made the appropriate phone calls (WX-brief) to file IFR to ZZZ VOR on top and then go VFR back to ZZZ1. I called socal to obtain my clearance by cell phone waiting by the airplane. I was given a 5 min window to start up; taxi; run up; and then takeoff IFR to ZZZ VOR. That was too short of a time for me. So the 'controller' on the phone said he was unable to forecast another window to takeoff IFR. His suggestion was to call back in 15 mins and check back with him. After that conversation I noticed the overcast breaking up to blue sky and decided to forget going IFR and just depart VFR with a little 'scud run' until I could climb out VFR. That was my undoing as I suddenly started hurrying my normal startup and totally ignored my VFR planning; now that this window presented itself. I took off VFR off runway 24 at ZZZ made the necessary turns to remain in the quiet flight path over the ground and climbed to 800 ft MSL. I hit the coastline and made a 180 degree right turn back to the ZZZ airport and remained under the ceiling. As I started seeing the break in the overcast I took measures to stay VFR and find a place to start my en route climb to 5500 ft. As I was busy with keeping VFR below the overcast; and staying out of the restr area off my left; I found a good line to begin my climb. I had not realized that I was now in ZZZ2 class D airspace. I still was climbing now totally VFR and by the time I was checking my position I looked left at my 9 O'clock position and saw the ZZZ2 runway about 3-4 mi off. As I checked the GPS to verify and the sectional I was dead in class D airspace for the last 2 mins. I made no attempts to contact ZZZ2 as I thought this would start the process of a suspension. I climbed out of the class D and returned to ZZZ1. The main cause of the infraction was my negligence in VFR planning. I was ready to go IFR and at the moment the overcast broke; I was now scurrying about to get out of ZZZ. Frustration; at the possibilities of ATC delays on the ground made the choice even that more tempting. It is a good lesson for me in the future; always know where and what I am doing at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PILOT FRUSTRATED BY WAITING FOR IFR RELEASE; DEPARTED VFR AND ENTERED A CLASS D ARPT WHILE MANEUVERING VMC TO FIND A CLEAR CLB PATH.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ ARPT I REALIZED I NEEDED TO FILE IFR SINCE THE CEILINGS WERE AROUND 900 FT. I MADE THE APPROPRIATE PHONE CALLS (WX-BRIEF) TO FILE IFR TO ZZZ VOR ON TOP AND THEN GO VFR BACK TO ZZZ1. I CALLED SOCAL TO OBTAIN MY CLRNC BY CELL PHONE WAITING BY THE AIRPLANE. I WAS GIVEN A 5 MIN WINDOW TO START UP; TAXI; RUN UP; AND THEN TKOF IFR TO ZZZ VOR. THAT WAS TOO SHORT OF A TIME FOR ME. SO THE 'CTLR' ON THE PHONE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO FORECAST ANOTHER WINDOW TO TKOF IFR. HIS SUGGESTION WAS TO CALL BACK IN 15 MINS AND CHK BACK WITH HIM. AFTER THAT CONVERSATION I NOTICED THE OVCST BREAKING UP TO BLUE SKY AND DECIDED TO FORGET GOING IFR AND JUST DEPART VFR WITH A LITTLE 'SCUD RUN' UNTIL I COULD CLB OUT VFR. THAT WAS MY UNDOING AS I SUDDENLY STARTED HURRYING MY NORMAL STARTUP AND TOTALLY IGNORED MY VFR PLANNING; NOW THAT THIS WINDOW PRESENTED ITSELF. I TOOK OFF VFR OFF RWY 24 AT ZZZ MADE THE NECESSARY TURNS TO REMAIN IN THE QUIET FLT PATH OVER THE GND AND CLBED TO 800 FT MSL. I HIT THE COASTLINE AND MADE A 180 DEG R TURN BACK TO THE ZZZ ARPT AND REMAINED UNDER THE CEILING. AS I STARTED SEEING THE BREAK IN THE OVCST I TOOK MEASURES TO STAY VFR AND FIND A PLACE TO START MY ENRTE CLB TO 5500 FT. AS I WAS BUSY WITH KEEPING VFR BELOW THE OVCST; AND STAYING OUT OF THE RESTR AREA OFF MY L; I FOUND A GOOD LINE TO BEGIN MY CLB. I HAD NOT REALIZED THAT I WAS NOW IN ZZZ2 CLASS D AIRSPACE. I STILL WAS CLBING NOW TOTALLY VFR AND BY THE TIME I WAS CHKING MY POS I LOOKED L AT MY 9 O'CLOCK POS AND SAW THE ZZZ2 RWY ABOUT 3-4 MI OFF. AS I CHKED THE GPS TO VERIFY AND THE SECTIONAL I WAS DEAD IN CLASS D AIRSPACE FOR THE LAST 2 MINS. I MADE NO ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ZZZ2 AS I THOUGHT THIS WOULD START THE PROCESS OF A SUSPENSION. I CLBED OUT OF THE CLASS D AND RETURNED TO ZZZ1. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE INFRACTION WAS MY NEGLIGENCE IN VFR PLANNING. I WAS READY TO GO IFR AND AT THE MOMENT THE OVCST BROKE; I WAS NOW SCURRYING ABOUT TO GET OUT OF ZZZ. FRUSTRATION; AT THE POSSIBILITIES OF ATC DELAYS ON THE GND MADE THE CHOICE EVEN THAT MORE TEMPTING. IT IS A GOOD LESSON FOR ME IN THE FUTURE; ALWAYS KNOW WHERE AND WHAT I AM DOING AT ALL TIMES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.