Pilot penetrated the class B airspace without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	295164
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : socal tower : smo
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 469 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	295164
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taking off from santa monica, wind favored runway 21. I asked tower for a right turn northbound to avoid the class B airspace surrounding lax and the appropriate frequency to contact socal departure for radar vectors and clrncs for an eastbound departure from the area. I was given a frequency for socal departure and was cleared for takeoff. I mistakenly assumed this meant to fly runway heading. After takeoff, I tried socal departure with no response. I tried again as I was climbing through 1400 ft MSL on runway heading of 210 degrees. At this point, was crossing the pacific shoreline, which marks the boundary of a section of lax class B that extends from the surface upward. Socal departure gave me an immediate right turn and told me to remain clear of the class B. I think both the tower controller and I erred in our lack of specificity in the assumptions we made concerning my route of flight. Reflecting on the situation, although I believed I was following the controller's instructions, I never heard the magic words 'cleared into class B.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT PENETRATED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: TAKING OFF FROM SANTA MONICA, WIND FAVORED RWY 21. I ASKED TWR FOR A R TURN NBOUND TO AVOID THE CLASS B AIRSPACE SURROUNDING LAX AND THE APPROPRIATE FREQ TO CONTACT SOCAL DEP FOR RADAR VECTORS AND CLRNCS FOR AN EBOUND DEP FROM THE AREA. I WAS GIVEN A FREQ FOR SOCAL DEP AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. I MISTAKENLY ASSUMED THIS MEANT TO FLY RWY HDG. AFTER TKOF, I TRIED SOCAL DEP WITH NO RESPONSE. I TRIED AGAIN AS I WAS CLBING THROUGH 1400 FT MSL ON RWY HDG OF 210 DEGS. AT THIS POINT, WAS XING THE PACIFIC SHORELINE, WHICH MARKS THE BOUNDARY OF A SECTION OF LAX CLASS B THAT EXTENDS FROM THE SURFACE UPWARD. SOCAL DEP GAVE ME AN IMMEDIATE R TURN AND TOLD ME TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B. I THINK BOTH THE TWR CTLR AND I ERRED IN OUR LACK OF SPECIFICITY IN THE ASSUMPTIONS WE MADE CONCERNING MY RTE OF FLT. REFLECTING ON THE SIT, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVED I WAS FOLLOWING THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS, I NEVER HEARD THE MAGIC WORDS 'CLRED INTO CLASS B.'

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.