Date: 201506
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: HDC.Airport, LA
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: Thunderstorm; 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Bonanza 35
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class D HDC; Class E MSY
ATC / advisory: TRACON MSY
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Human factors: Workload; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Anomaly: Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Airport; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: I inadvertently entered Class D airspace at HDC. I've landed at that airport dozens of times but not since last October. Apparently in January an ATC control tower was activated. I wasn't aware of that and while diverting to HDC to land during thunderstorm conditions and flying on partial panel due to an inflight instrument air pump failure (although in VFR conditions) I had little to no time to obtain airport information except to consult my chart (current electronic chart on Foreflight mobile) which showed HDC as an uncontrolled airport.This apparent airspace issue occurred because I was unable to understand ATC (New Orleans Approach) [and] possibly the controller tried to give me the tower frequency but I was unable to understand it. I heard 125.70 but thought he was giving me the AWOS frequency; or UNICOM which is 122.70 (Tower at HDC is 120.57.) Prior to trying to contact New Orleans Approach my radios had worked perfectly on this three hour flight. My electronic chart; which was downloaded just 3 days prior; didn't show HDC as a towered airport (despite there being a tower for 6 months apparently.) I got a briefing prior to departure; but I had not intended to land at HDC until thunderstorms prevented us from reaching [our original destination;] so [I] didn't get airport information for HDC. Landing at HDC was a last minute decision to get on the ground and avoid rapidly developing thunderstorms. This type event could be prevented if electronic charts are updated more frequently than paper charts! In the information age; pilots ought to be able to rely on the information in electronic charts; especially those suited for ADS-B platforms like Foreflight; which have been downloaded 3 days prior and especially if that information (activation of a control tower) occurred 6 months previously. These EFB type systems are highly touted to pilots as the future of aviation and what all will be using in just two years; but in this case were no more beneficial than paper charts. Electronic charts should be updated more frequently than paper charts; even VFR charts like I was using; or pilots should be warned that they are no more useful than the paper charts.




Synopsis: BE35 pilot reports diverting to HDC due to weather at his destination and discovering too late that the airport now has a Tower. Apparently the Tower was activated over six months ago but current electronic VFR charts do not indicate the Class D status.