Narrative:

I was flying back from atlantic city, bader field, with 1 passenger in the front seat (C172RG). LORAN direct to robertson field (4b8) in connecticut. The route follows the jersey shoreline and I kept track of the position on a sectional and colts neck DME. The plan was to fly to colts neck and then drop below the class B of nyc and fly the hudson river VFR corridor through the class B airspace. Along the way the passenger asked me all kinds of questions about flying lessons and flying (I am a CFI) and I answered as much as I could. Unaware, because of hazy conditions, that I was almost in class B airspace around colts neck VOR, I thought I could see manhattan skyline to determine when to descend. I noticed the colts neck DME readout to be 6.0 DME and located myself on the 090 degree radial right on the edge of class B. I immediately turned to a heading of 270 degrees and descended at 1000 FPM to 1500 ft, then turned back towards the verrezano bridge which I could then make out in the distance. The flight went uneventful after this. After doublechking on the ground about my position I do not believe that I flew into class B airspace without clearance, but came very close to doing so. What can be learned from this is that when you get close to airspace that requires clearance into and conditions are marginal VFR (haze) one should not rely on LORAN and talk to passenger, rather fly the airplane first. I felt really stupid after realizing how close I came to busting airspace when a little thinking ahead would have avoided all this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX DISTR PLT WITH QUESTIONS AND THAT, COUPLED WITH HAZY VISIBILITY, PLT FLEW CLOSE TO CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING BACK FROM ATLANTIC CITY, BADER FIELD, WITH 1 PAX IN THE FRONT SEAT (C172RG). LORAN DIRECT TO ROBERTSON FIELD (4B8) IN CONNECTICUT. THE RTE FOLLOWS THE JERSEY SHORELINE AND I KEPT TRACK OF THE POS ON A SECTIONAL AND COLTS NECK DME. THE PLAN WAS TO FLY TO COLTS NECK AND THEN DROP BELOW THE CLASS B OF NYC AND FLY THE HUDSON RIVER VFR CORRIDOR THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. ALONG THE WAY THE PAX ASKED ME ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT FLYING LESSONS AND FLYING (I AM A CFI) AND I ANSWERED AS MUCH AS I COULD. UNAWARE, BECAUSE OF HAZY CONDITIONS, THAT I WAS ALMOST IN CLASS B AIRSPACE AROUND COLTS NECK VOR, I THOUGHT I COULD SEE MANHATTAN SKYLINE TO DETERMINE WHEN TO DSND. I NOTICED THE COLTS NECK DME READOUT TO BE 6.0 DME AND LOCATED MYSELF ON THE 090 DEG RADIAL RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF CLASS B. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND DSNDED AT 1000 FPM TO 1500 FT, THEN TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE VERREZANO BRIDGE WHICH I COULD THEN MAKE OUT IN THE DISTANCE. THE FLT WENT UNEVENTFUL AFTER THIS. AFTER DOUBLECHKING ON THE GND ABOUT MY POS I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I FLEW INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC, BUT CAME VERY CLOSE TO DOING SO. WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIS IS THAT WHEN YOU GET CLOSE TO AIRSPACE THAT REQUIRES CLRNC INTO AND CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL VFR (HAZE) ONE SHOULD NOT RELY ON LORAN AND TALK TO PAX, RATHER FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST. I FELT REALLY STUPID AFTER REALIZING HOW CLOSE I CAME TO BUSTING AIRSPACE WHEN A LITTLE THINKING AHEAD WOULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL THIS.

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.