UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING A 3 LEG STUDENT XCOUNTRY SOLO FROM BKL TO MFD TO 29G. I HAD FLOWN TO MFD WITH NO DIFFICULTIES AND WAS ENRTE TO 29G. ABOUT 20 NM W OF 29G; I OBSERVED A SOLID LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS. I HAD OBTAINED A DUAT AND FSS BRIEFING AT BKL AND GOT A BRIEFING FROM A WX SPECIALIST AT MFD; THE SNOW WAS NOT FORECAST. I DECIDED TO ABORT THE PROPOSED RTE AND NOT TO FLY INTO THE SNOW AND RETURN TO BKL. I TURNED N AND ATTEMPTED TO FIX MY LOCATION USING PILOTAGE. I IDENTED A N/S 2-LANE INTERSTATE HWY THAT WOULD LEAD ME BACK TO BKL AND BEGAN TO FLY ALONG IT. AFTER ABOUT 15 NM; I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT I HAD PICKED THE WRONG HWY AND WAS ABOUT 10 NM W OF COURSE AND VERY CLOSE TO CLE TCA. I COULD SEE CLE ARPT AND RAPIDLY FIXED MY POS USING THE DJB AND ACO VORTACS. I HAD FLOWN INTO THE 1900-8000 FT RING OF THE TCA AT 2500 FT. DUE TO THE CHANGE IN COURSE AND PLANS; POS AWARENESS AND VERIFICATION WAS NOT MAINTAINED. I CONTACTED CLE APCH AND ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I HAD FLOWN INTO THE TCA. THE CTLR GAVE ME A RADAR BEACON CODE AND CLRED ME INTO THE TCA. I FLEW TO BKL WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. I FEEL THAT THE DECISION TO NOT FLY INTO THE SNOW WAS A SOUND ONE. I FAILED TO PLAN EXACTLY WHAT COURSE I WAS GOING TO FLY BEFORE I DIVERTED OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I THEN WAITED TOO LONG TO VERIFY MY POS WITH NAVAIDS; I ASSUMED I WAS FOLLOWING THE RIGHT ROAD.