Narrative:

I was inbound to mem VFR with an IFR flight plan to activate at hli. Contacted ZME 10 mi south of hli to pick up IFR clearance and was referred to mem approach. Approach was busy and did not make contact for clearance until about 3-5 mi northwest of hli. I was navigating by the low altitude en route chart, us (lo) 17, which shows class B airspace beginning about 4 mi northwest of hli. Controller asked about familiarity with class B boundary and indicated I had intruded into class B airspace. Upon checking TCA (10-1A) map it appears that class B 100/50 begins about 1.5 mi from hli VORTAC. Controller indicated that class B airspace begins at the hli VORTAC. Had I not established contact when I did (with mem approach), I was prepared to execute a 180 degree turn and hold at the VORTAC pending clearance into the area. Solutions: 1) always pick up IFR flight plan or VFR clearance well outside class B airspace. 2) maintain generous buffer around class B and C boundaries depicted on charts. 3) have charts indicate boundaries through the VORTAC centerline where applicable. 4) be sure en route and terminal charts depict identical boundaries.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT STUMBLES INTO THE CLASS B OF MEM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP AN IFR FLT PLAN. RPTR CITES CHART DIFFERENCES THAT ARE CONFUSING BUT ADMITS HE SHOULD HAVE TURNED ABOUT WHEN UNABLE TO TALK WITH APCH CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS INBOUND TO MEM VFR WITH AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ACTIVATE AT HLI. CONTACTED ZME 10 MI S OF HLI TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC AND WAS REFERRED TO MEM APCH. APCH WAS BUSY AND DID NOT MAKE CONTACT FOR CLRNC UNTIL ABOUT 3-5 MI NW OF HLI. I WAS NAVING BY THE LOW ALT ENRTE CHART, US (LO) 17, WHICH SHOWS CLASS B AIRSPACE BEGINNING ABOUT 4 MI NW OF HLI. CTLR ASKED ABOUT FAMILIARITY WITH CLASS B BOUNDARY AND INDICATED I HAD INTRUDED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. UPON CHKING TCA (10-1A) MAP IT APPEARS THAT CLASS B 100/50 BEGINS ABOUT 1.5 MI FROM HLI VORTAC. CTLR INDICATED THAT CLASS B AIRSPACE BEGINS AT THE HLI VORTAC. HAD I NOT ESTABLISHED CONTACT WHEN I DID (WITH MEM APCH), I WAS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN AND HOLD AT THE VORTAC PENDING CLRNC INTO THE AREA. SOLUTIONS: 1) ALWAYS PICK UP IFR FLT PLAN OR VFR CLRNC WELL OUTSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE. 2) MAINTAIN GENEROUS BUFFER AROUND CLASS B AND C BOUNDARIES DEPICTED ON CHARTS. 3) HAVE CHARTS INDICATE BOUNDARIES THROUGH THE VORTAC CTRLINE WHERE APPLICABLE. 4) BE SURE ENRTE AND TERMINAL CHARTS DEPICT IDENTICAL BOUNDARIES.

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.