Private pilot of an small aircraft sel inadvertently entered class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	273072
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	273072
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed pne for bed, course 060 degrees, planning to overfly the new york area TCA at 7500 ft. Passing plus or minus 6500 ft, just east of ard, saw that an overcast layer at around 7000-8000 ft would preclude VFR operations. Elected to descend to 5500 ft and circumnav the TCA to the west and north before again turning northeast. The autoplt had been in the navigation mode, receiving from the GPS, for direct to bed. We were probably near jeryy intersection when I selected 'to sax' and commanded direct to it. However, in short order I could see that we would penetrate the TCA and its western edge. I put the autoplt back in heading mode, turned more to the north, and selected huo VORTAC on the GPS. At that time, I must have been distracted by a passenger pointing out some traffic, and I did not put the autoplt into navigation mode. It continued in heading mode as I watched for traffic, as I knew we were near busy terminal airspace. After a time, I noticed a heavy jet off to our left, plus or minus 1 mi at about our altitude and became alarmed since his altitude didn't make sense if outside the TCA. I put ewr on the GPS, and it read 16.7 NM, then saw my HSI's CDI in a full scale deflection. Immediately told my passenger to help me watch for traffic, shut off the autoplt, pulled power and made a maximum rate descent to 3000 ft, below the shelf, clearing to nne. Most of my flying hours are under IFR plan. This matter has so upset me that I intend to never again operate VFR if the flight passes over or near any type of restr or positive controled airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTED PNE FOR BED, COURSE 060 DEGS, PLANNING TO OVERFLY THE NEW YORK AREA TCA AT 7500 FT. PASSING PLUS OR MINUS 6500 FT, JUST E OF ARD, SAW THAT AN OVCST LAYER AT AROUND 7000-8000 FT WOULD PRECLUDE VFR OPS. ELECTED TO DSND TO 5500 FT AND CIRCUMNAV THE TCA TO THE W AND N BEFORE AGAIN TURNING NE. THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN IN THE NAV MODE, RECEIVING FROM THE GPS, FOR DIRECT TO BED. WE WERE PROBABLY NEAR JERYY INTXN WHEN I SELECTED 'TO SAX' AND COMMANDED DIRECT TO IT. HOWEVER, IN SHORT ORDER I COULD SEE THAT WE WOULD PENETRATE THE TCA AND ITS WESTERN EDGE. I PUT THE AUTOPLT BACK IN HDG MODE, TURNED MORE TO THE N, AND SELECTED HUO VORTAC ON THE GPS. AT THAT TIME, I MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED BY A PAX POINTING OUT SOME TFC, AND I DID NOT PUT THE AUTOPLT INTO NAV MODE. IT CONTINUED IN HDG MODE AS I WATCHED FOR TFC, AS I KNEW WE WERE NEAR BUSY TERMINAL AIRSPACE. AFTER A TIME, I NOTICED A HVY JET OFF TO OUR L, PLUS OR MINUS 1 MI AT ABOUT OUR ALT AND BECAME ALARMED SINCE HIS ALT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE IF OUTSIDE THE TCA. I PUT EWR ON THE GPS, AND IT READ 16.7 NM, THEN SAW MY HSI'S CDI IN A FULL SCALE DEFLECTION. IMMEDIATELY TOLD MY PAX TO HELP ME WATCH FOR TFC, SHUT OFF THE AUTOPLT, PULLED PWR AND MADE A MAX RATE DSCNT TO 3000 FT, BELOW THE SHELF, CLRING TO NNE. MOST OF MY FLYING HRS ARE UNDER IFR PLAN. THIS MATTER HAS SO UPSET ME THAT I INTEND TO NEVER AGAIN OPERATE VFR IF THE FLT PASSES OVER OR NEAR ANY TYPE OF RESTR OR POSITIVE CTLED AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.