Small aircraft pilot flies off course, enters class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	294678
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3sz
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 75
ASRS Report	294678
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Returning from K-15 (ground glaize) to sus (spirit) at night. Was applying chkpoint timed navigation. The 172 cessna was exceeding the 115 KT indicated and I found myself at st charles municipal instead of M049 (washington) at my preplanned check point time, since I realized at that point I was not on course, I immediately contacted ATC at sus and requested assistance. Sus ATC assisted me and guided me to sus. Prior to their assistance for heading and altitude I may have unknowingly violated lambert's airspace. My concern is because spirit directed (suggested) me to descend to 2000 ft to 'avoid' the class 'B' airspace and turn to heading 190 degrees. I was under the impression I was in the vicinity of labadie stacks or washington M049. I had not realized I was north of spirit (sus) until I contacted sus and was informed by (sus) of my actual course position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES OFF COURSE, ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: RETURNING FROM K-15 (GND GLAIZE) TO SUS (SPIRIT) AT NIGHT. WAS APPLYING CHKPOINT TIMED NAV. THE 172 CESSNA WAS EXCEEDING THE 115 KT INDICATED AND I FOUND MYSELF AT ST CHARLES MUNICIPAL INSTEAD OF M049 (WASHINGTON) AT MY PREPLANNED CHK POINT TIME, SINCE I REALIZED AT THAT POINT I WAS NOT ON COURSE, I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATC AT SUS AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. SUS ATC ASSISTED ME AND GUIDED ME TO SUS. PRIOR TO THEIR ASSISTANCE FOR HDG AND ALT I MAY HAVE UNKNOWINGLY VIOLATED LAMBERT'S AIRSPACE. MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE SPIRIT DIRECTED (SUGGESTED) ME TO DSND TO 2000 FT TO 'AVOID' THE CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE AND TURN TO HDG 190 DEGS. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION I WAS IN THE VICINITY OF LABADIE STACKS OR WASHINGTON M049. I HAD NOT REALIZED I WAS N OF SPIRIT (SUS) UNTIL I CONTACTED SUS AND WAS INFORMED BY (SUS) OF MY ACTUAL COURSE POS.

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.