Narrative:

While testing an experimental L39C for vortex generators at 1200 ft, which is top of TCA in this area, and while trying to take picture of tufting, aircraft climbed 140 ft into TCA. Before I noticed the altitude, I saw a military dc-9 inbound to mcdill AFB heading approximately 350 degrees. Aircraft seemed to be close to my altitude and I descended to 800 ft. At approximately 4 seconds later, I saw dc-9 climb. I assumed tampa had told him we were there. We continued east 40 mi from spg and continued flight test. Upon arriving back at st petersburg, we were told to call tpa. I did. The supervisor said we were into the TCA by 300 ft and I said no. Encoder readout said at the time of descent 1340 ft. I apologized and said I was distracted but I did see the traffic and descended to 800 ft. I told the supervisor that I was a professional pilot, and had no intention on climbing into HSI airspace and next time would talk to him even though it is not required. It does occur to me, however, that if the dc-9 was under the control of tpa still 11 mi from mcdill, that I should have been called out to the dc-9 as I was squawking 1200 with altitude encoding on. If I was called out why did dc-9 descend to within 300 ft of the top of uncontrolled airspace at 1200 ft. I held my heading for over 15 mi moving west to east at a 90 degree intercept to the dc-9. I should have been seen and the dc-9's descent stopped above my legal altitude. I did bust the altitude. I corrected same. I did see the traffic and I think the traffic was too low for area. I don't believe 140 ft or 300 ft would have been close to a dc-9 at the proper altitude. I will be more careful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ON TEST FLT NEAR CLASS B AIRSPACE ERRONEOUSLY ENTERED CLASS B WITHOUT PRIOR CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE TESTING AN EXPERIMENTAL L39C FOR VORTEX GENERATORS AT 1200 FT, WHICH IS TOP OF TCA IN THIS AREA, AND WHILE TRYING TO TAKE PICTURE OF TUFTING, ACFT CLBED 140 FT INTO TCA. BEFORE I NOTICED THE ALT, I SAW A MIL DC-9 INBOUND TO MCDILL AFB HDG APPROX 350 DEGS. ACFT SEEMED TO BE CLOSE TO MY ALT AND I DSNDED TO 800 FT. AT APPROX 4 SECONDS LATER, I SAW DC-9 CLB. I ASSUMED TAMPA HAD TOLD HIM WE WERE THERE. WE CONTINUED E 40 MI FROM SPG AND CONTINUED FLT TEST. UPON ARRIVING BACK AT ST PETERSBURG, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL TPA. I DID. THE SUPVR SAID WE WERE INTO THE TCA BY 300 FT AND I SAID NO. ENCODER READOUT SAID AT THE TIME OF DSCNT 1340 FT. I APOLOGIZED AND SAID I WAS DISTRACTED BUT I DID SEE THE TFC AND DSNDED TO 800 FT. I TOLD THE SUPVR THAT I WAS A PROFESSIONAL PLT, AND HAD NO INTENTION ON CLBING INTO HSI AIRSPACE AND NEXT TIME WOULD TALK TO HIM EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT REQUIRED. IT DOES OCCUR TO ME, HOWEVER, THAT IF THE DC-9 WAS UNDER THE CTL OF TPA STILL 11 MI FROM MCDILL, THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT TO THE DC-9 AS I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 WITH ALT ENCODING ON. IF I WAS CALLED OUT WHY DID DC-9 DSND TO WITHIN 300 FT OF THE TOP OF UNCTLED AIRSPACE AT 1200 FT. I HELD MY HDG FOR OVER 15 MI MOVING W TO E AT A 90 DEG INTERCEPT TO THE DC-9. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEEN AND THE DC-9'S DSCNT STOPPED ABOVE MY LEGAL ALT. I DID BUST THE ALT. I CORRECTED SAME. I DID SEE THE TFC AND I THINK THE TFC WAS TOO LOW FOR AREA. I DON'T BELIEVE 140 FT OR 300 FT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO A DC-9 AT THE PROPER ALT. I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL.

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.