Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 23; Flight Crew Total 2930; Flight Crew Type 400
Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Exited Penetrated Airspace; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Airspace Structure
I departed McClellan airport (MCC) Runway 34. I took off and flew runway heading. The airport is an ex-military field with a rather long runway because of this I waited until I got to pattern altitude before turning crosswind which would give me proper displacement in the traffic pattern. At the departure end I started a gradual left crosswind turn.  I had heard a helicopter making traffic calls on the radio on a left downwind leg for Runway 34. I did not have visual contact with the helicopter when I took off. As I started the left crosswind leg; I got a visual contact with the helicopter low and to my left with about 400 feet vertical separation and about 100 feet horizontal separation. I pulled the nose up abruptly for separation which caused me to pop through the floor of the overlying class C airspace which is 1;600 feet. I reached a maximum altitude of 2;000 feet MSL and I immediately pushed the nose down to get back down out of the Class C airspace. Total time of the altitude deviation was less than 30 seconds. MCC is uncontrolled and I wasn't talking to ATC. I exited the area to the southeast and then had to immediately climb above 2;600 feet MSL to avoid Mather's (MHR) Class D airspace which is nearby. I should have reviewed the altitudes of the Class C again before departure. I should have exited the pattern with a right turn and cleared the pattern and Class C sooner. The traffic conflict in the pattern made the only option was to climb and that put me at risk for an altitude deviation. I deviated in the interest of safety and corrected as quickly as possible.
GA pilot reported taking evasive action for an NMAC with a helicopter during climb from MCC Airport resulted in an airspace violation.