Narrative:

En route VFR to fredericksburg; tx. Planned route of flight expected to pass at least 5 mi outside (northeast of) the cos class C airspace at 9500 ft. Although I'd had a handheld GPS for a while; I rarely used it. I determined to practice with it on this trip in an attempt to become more proficient. Over many yrs of flying; I have navigated by VOR; DME; ADF; and pilotage; and am well equipped for that in my airplane. On the morning in question; I was struggling with poor success with the GPS. I had focused too much on it. When finally I checked my other sources; I found I'd drifted unacceptably west of course and was 3 DME on the 300 degree radial of brk; about to enter cos class C without establishing communication as required! Not even taking time to select their frequency; I immediately turned left to the east to avoid incursion. I don't think I actually entered the class C but may have; only briefly. It was close. Soon the position was confirmed visually; passing eastbound at least 1 mi north of meadowlake (00V) before eventually continuing on course. Comments: poor judgement. Too much focus on the GPS practice while approaching complex airspace. Failure to contact cos approach; even though not planning to pass through or even very close to their class C. However; I did take immediate action once the situation was recognized. In the future; I'll not be so quick to overlook the methods and equipment that have served me well for several decades of flying. Modern electronics (ie; GPS) are great but require a degree of proficiency and can actually be a distraction. I'm quite embarrassed. I'm determined to get better at GPS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERS COS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLEARANCE.

Narrative: ENRTE VFR TO FREDERICKSBURG; TX. PLANNED RTE OF FLT EXPECTED TO PASS AT LEAST 5 MI OUTSIDE (NE OF) THE COS CLASS C AIRSPACE AT 9500 FT. ALTHOUGH I'D HAD A HANDHELD GPS FOR A WHILE; I RARELY USED IT. I DETERMINED TO PRACTICE WITH IT ON THIS TRIP IN AN ATTEMPT TO BECOME MORE PROFICIENT. OVER MANY YRS OF FLYING; I HAVE NAVIGATED BY VOR; DME; ADF; AND PILOTAGE; AND AM WELL EQUIPPED FOR THAT IN MY AIRPLANE. ON THE MORNING IN QUESTION; I WAS STRUGGLING WITH POOR SUCCESS WITH THE GPS. I HAD FOCUSED TOO MUCH ON IT. WHEN FINALLY I CHKED MY OTHER SOURCES; I FOUND I'D DRIFTED UNACCEPTABLY W OF COURSE AND WAS 3 DME ON THE 300 DEG RADIAL OF BRK; ABOUT TO ENTER COS CLASS C WITHOUT ESTABLISHING COM AS REQUIRED! NOT EVEN TAKING TIME TO SELECT THEIR FREQ; I IMMEDIATELY TURNED L TO THE E TO AVOID INCURSION. I DON'T THINK I ACTUALLY ENTERED THE CLASS C BUT MAY HAVE; ONLY BRIEFLY. IT WAS CLOSE. SOON THE POSITION WAS CONFIRMED VISUALLY; PASSING EBOUND AT LEAST 1 MI N OF MEADOWLAKE (00V) BEFORE EVENTUALLY CONTINUING ON COURSE. COMMENTS: POOR JUDGEMENT. TOO MUCH FOCUS ON THE GPS PRACTICE WHILE APCHING COMPLEX AIRSPACE. FAILURE TO CONTACT COS APCH; EVEN THOUGH NOT PLANNING TO PASS THROUGH OR EVEN VERY CLOSE TO THEIR CLASS C. HOWEVER; I DID TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ONCE THE SITUATION WAS RECOGNIZED. IN THE FUTURE; I'LL NOT BE SO QUICK TO OVERLOOK THE METHODS AND EQUIP THAT HAVE SERVED ME WELL FOR SEVERAL DECADES OF FLYING. MODERN ELECTRONICS (IE; GPS) ARE GREAT BUT REQUIRE A DEGREE OF PROFICIENCY AND CAN ACTUALLY BE A DISTR. I'M QUITE EMBARRASSED. I'M DETERMINED TO GET BETTER AT GPS.

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.