AN SMA PVT PLT ENTERS THE SUA OF CGX; IL.

Narrative

I WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH A FRIEND FLYING S ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE. AFTER LEAVING UGN AIRSPACE; I TUNED IN THE ATIS FROM CGX AS I USUALLY DO. BEING THAT FAR N AND AT A LOW ALT; THE ATIS CAME IN BY BITS AND PIECES. I COULD ONLY PICK UP THE WINDS AND BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. I TURNED DOWN MY RADIO AND I TURNED UP THE TWR FREQ TO CGX TO SEE WHAT TFC WAS IN THE AREA. THERE SEEMED TO BE NOTHING UNUSUAL AT THE TIME. ABOUT 8 OR 9 NM NE OF CGX; I CALLED THE TWR TO TRANSITION THEIR AREA. WHEN THEY ANSWERED ME I WAS ABOUT 7 NM NE OF THE FIELD AT 1700 FT. THEY TOLD ME TO TURN E AND REMAIN AT LEAST 8 MI E OF CGX. I TURNED 090 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. AT PM00 HRS ON AUG/XA/99; I CALLED FSS FOR AN OUTLOOK BRIEFING FOR THE NEXT MORNING. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING; AUG/XB/99; I DROVE TO THE ARPT AND UPON CHKING OUT MY PLANE I FOUND A MINOR PROB. I TOLD MY FRIEND THAT I WOULD CALL FSS FROM THE MAINT HANGAR. THE PROB WAS FIXED AND OFF WE WENT. AS I TURNED S; I REMEMBERED THAT I DID NOT MAKE THAT CALL FOR A BRIEFING. THE OUTLOOK BRIEFING WAS FOR GOOD WX. A TV CHANNEL AND MY WX RADIO CALLED FOR GOOD WX. IT WAS A LCL FLT I HAVE MADE OVER 100 TIMES. THERE WAS AN UPCOMING AIRSHOW SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN CHICAGO. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THEY WOULD BE PRACTICING SO SOON -- MUCH TO MY SURPRISE; THEY WERE. I WAS WHERE I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN. FROM THIS INCIDENT I LEARNED NEVER TO TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED IN FLYING. YOU CAN NEVER THINK THINGS WILL BE BUSINESS AS USUAL. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS BEFORE LEAVING THE HANGAR. I DID NOT. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FSS IN THE AIR. I DID NOT. I SHOULD HAVE TURNED THE ATIS FROM CGX BACK ON. I DID NOT. WHAT TOOK PLACE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO DO WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS DONE. ON THIS FLT I GOT SLOPPY AND IT BIT ME. I GUARANTEE IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.