A CPR CITATION PIC CONFESSES TO FAILING TO PROPERLY FLT PLAN A VFR DEP PROC FROM A NON TWR ARPT AND ALMOST FLIES INTO THE ADJOINING CLASS C AIRSPACE OF CMH; 5 MI W OF VTA; OH.

Narrative

COMPLACENCY HAD TAKEN OVER. TOSS IN THE 'LET'S GET HOME' ATTITUDE; AND THE STAGE WAS SET. ON THIS PARTICULAR STOP; WITH CLR SKIES AND UNLIMITED VISIBILITY; I'D CANCELED THE IFR AND MADE A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG AT A NEARBY UNCTLED ARPT. AFTER A QUICK STOP FOR FUEL; LUGGAGE AND PAX; WE WERE ON OUR WAY. TOOK OFF VFR; CONTACTED APCH FOR THE IFR CLRNC. CTLR'S FIRST INSTRUCTIONS WERE; 'STAY OUT OF THE CLASS C AIRSPACE; SQUAWK...' UH-NO! WHERE'RE WE AT? WHAT BIG ARPT IS THAT? IMMEDIATE TURN AWAY FROM ARPT. WHERE'S THE ENRTE CHART? WHEW! I MISSED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE BY CLBING AND TURNING. APCH GAVE ME THE IFR CLRNC; CLRED ME INTO THE FLT LEVELS; AND WE HAD AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. EXCEPT I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN RESTR IN MY CLB BY A CEILING? WHAT IF I HAD PROCEEDED STRAIGHT OUT AND HAD TAKEN MY TIME CONTACTING APCH? I WOULD HAVE PLOWED RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF CLASS C AIRSPACE AND OVERFLOWN A LARGE ARPT; WITHOUT A CLRNC! AS MENTIONED; COMPLACENCY AND BEING IN A HURRY WERE FACTORS LEADING TO THIS SIT. I HAD THE ENRTE CHART OUT AND FOLDED TO THE GENERAL AREA; BUT DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW IT BEFORE TKOF. I JUST ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN MY WAY. THIS INCIDENT IS A CLR CALL TO BE ON GUARD FOR COMPLACENT ATTITUDES; GETTING IN A HURRY; AND FAILING TO DO THE SIMPLEST OF PREFLT PLANNING. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL SPECIFICALLY REVIEW THE APPLICABLE ENRTE CHART BEFORE DEPARTING ANY ARPT VFR. I WOULD NOT ENJOY BEING AN UNINVITED GUEST IN CERTAIN CLASSES OF AIRSPACE.