Narrative:

Taking off from prc to go back to phx on our scheduled leg, we elected to pick up the IFR to phx in the air. On initial contact, ZAB gave us a squawk code and a heading to join the karlo six STAR. ZAB asked us to maintain VFR in the mean time. After a while (ZAB was really busy this morning) we tried to contact center again to pick up the IFR to phx, with no luck. We then realized that we were getting close to phx class B without a clearance to enter it. We then turned west, and almost immediately, we got a call from phx approach asking us who we were, and what we were doing. They (phx approach) informed us that we had entered alert area A-231 and luke AFB approach and airspace. We were then given vectors for sky harbor, and landed without any further problems. Once on the ground, the captain called TRACON. We never suspected that we entered luke AFB airspace (and A-231 at the same time). We did not use any VFR charts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ACFT DURING CRUISE HAD DEPARTED DEST VFR PLANNING TO GET IFR CLRNC AIRBORNE. CTR CTLR GAVE AN INTERCEPT HEADING FOR THE STAR ROUTING AND THEN BECAME VERY BUSY SO DIDN'T GIVE THE IFR CLRNC RIGHT AWAY. FLC REALIZED THEY WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE PHX CLASS B AIRSPACE AND TURNED W TO STAY CLR OF THE CLASS B AND ENTERED AN AIRWAYS FACILITY ALERT AREA. PHX APCH INTERVENED WHO PROVIDED VECTORS TO DEST ARPT.

Narrative: TAKING OFF FROM PRC TO GO BACK TO PHX ON OUR SCHEDULED LEG, WE ELECTED TO PICK UP THE IFR TO PHX IN THE AIR. ON INITIAL CONTACT, ZAB GAVE US A SQUAWK CODE AND A HEADING TO JOIN THE KARLO SIX STAR. ZAB ASKED US TO MAINTAIN VFR IN THE MEAN TIME. AFTER A WHILE (ZAB WAS REALLY BUSY THIS MORNING) WE TRIED TO CONTACT CTR AGAIN TO PICK UP THE IFR TO PHX, WITH NO LUCK. WE THEN REALIZED THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO PHX CLASS B WITHOUT A CLRNC TO ENTER IT. WE THEN TURNED W, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, WE GOT A CALL FROM PHX APCH ASKING US WHO WE WERE, AND WHAT WE WERE DOING. THEY (PHX APCH) INFORMED US THAT WE HAD ENTERED ALERT AREA A-231 AND LUKE AFB APCH AND AIRSPACE. WE WERE THEN GIVEN VECTORS FOR SKY HARBOR, AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. ONCE ON THE GND, THE CAPT CALLED TRACON. WE NEVER SUSPECTED THAT WE ENTERED LUKE AFB AIRSPACE (AND A-231 AT THE SAME TIME). WE DID NOT USE ANY VFR CHARTS.

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.