Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 25; Flight Crew Type 25
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
I departed ZZZ and flew in the pattern for 30 minutes. I departed the pattern to the south and climbed to 2000 ft. My headset went quiet and I performed a radio check to traffic with no response. I decided there may be a problem with my new headset. At the same time I noticed the airplane temperature was getting hotter and I was concerned about the temperature. I pulled the power back to bring the temperature back down. I attempted to call my instructor but realized he would not be able to hear me. I turned back toward ZZZ but I had lost situational awareness due to the fact that the smoke from the fires had intensified. I headed toward a familiar road and landmark and traversed back and forth above the landmark. I found my bearings by using Foreflight. I texted my instructor and told him the situation and he provided a heading to help me get my bearings as well. I landed the airplane at ZZZ. When I landed my instructor informed me that I had inadvertently flown into [class] C airspace.
C172 student pilot reported inadvertently violating Class C airspace.