A LOW TIME PLT MAY HAVE PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CALLING THE ATCT.
Synopsis
A LOW TIME PLT MAY HAVE PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CALLING THE ATCT.
Narrative
I WAS ON A VFR FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF XCOUNTRY TRAINING. I WAS MAKING USE OF VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZSE. THERE WERE MANY TARGETS BEING CALLED OUT AS I PASSED N OF OLYMPIA (OLM) AND ZSE WAS KEEPING ME VERY BUSY. I WAS ALSO DEALING WITH SOME MILD TO MODERATE TURB AS I ATTEMPTED TO STAY ON PLANNED COURSE BY BOTH PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING. TIW AIRSPACE EXTENDS TO 2800 FT MSL AND THE FLOOR OF SEATTLE STARTS AT 3000 FT MSL. I DID NOT CONTACT TIW TWR BECAUSE I PLANNED TO TRANSITION TIW CLASS D AT 2900 FT MSL. IN SUCH TRANSITION; DUE TO WORKLOAD; I MAY HAVE ENTERED THE TIW AIRSPACE INADVERTENTLY; THROUGH LACK OF ALT CTL. I DID NOT KNOW THIS AT THE TIME AND ONLY SUSPECTED IT UPON MY REVIEW OF MY XCOUNTRY FLT THE FOLLOWING DAY. I AM NOT POSITIVE OF MY ALT; THOUGH I SUSPECT THAT; I MAY HAVE EITHER CROSSED TIW AS LOW AS 2600 FT MSL OR STARTED MY DSCNT TOO EARLY AND 'CLIPPED' TIW AS I LEFT. DURING THIS ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZSE. I HAVE DETERMINED THAT I MUST NOT RELY ON FLT PLANNING ALONE AND REALIZE THAT OTHER FACTORS MAY CAUSE ME TO DEVIATE FROM MY PLAN (IN THIS CASE; OTHER TFC IN THE AREA). I MUST BE READY TO LEAVE THE 'SAFETY' OF VFR FLT FOLLOWING TO ENSURE I CONTACT CTLRS AT AIRSPACE I MAY ENTER.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.