BE35 pilot without a flight plan entered class B airspace without clearance or communication. Report...

Attributes
ACN	386120
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : clt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1675 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	386120
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight from toa to L35. Took off toa runway 29R. Right downwind departure. Encountered clusters of scattered clouds east of toa. Cloud bases approximately 2000 ft tops 3000-4000 ft. Lowest tops over long beach airport (lgb). Elected to climb over clouds at lgb. Had to use maximum angle climb to get above clouds while maintaining VFR distance from clouds. While flipping from front to back of los angeles VFR terminal area chart to navigation and get 'socal' approach frequencys, I continued flight into floor of class B airspace approximately in vicinity of lgb airport. Was very upset when I realized I was in class B without clearance. Got ahold of socal approach and asked for VFR flight following to L35. Should have gotten clearance before entering or stayed below floor. In short, I forgot momentarily about altitude limit while climbing, navigating and fumbling with chart to get right frequency for current location. This all happened soon after departure from toa. Recommendations: 1) write down frequencys before takeoff. Also carefully review class B requirements before getting too busy. 2) change lax chart by putting socal approach frequency on back side where there is less clutter. Would like to see socal frequency boundaries marked as in IFR charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT WITHOUT A FLT PLAN ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC OR COM. RPTR CONTACTED APCH CTLR TO ADVISE AND OBTAIN FLT FOLLOWING.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM TOA TO L35. TOOK OFF TOA RWY 29R. R DOWNWIND DEP. ENCOUNTERED CLUSTERS OF SCATTERED CLOUDS E OF TOA. CLOUD BASES APPROX 2000 FT TOPS 3000-4000 FT. LOWEST TOPS OVER LONG BEACH ARPT (LGB). ELECTED TO CLB OVER CLOUDS AT LGB. HAD TO USE MAX ANGLE CLB TO GET ABOVE CLOUDS WHILE MAINTAINING VFR DISTANCE FROM CLOUDS. WHILE FLIPPING FROM FRONT TO BACK OF LOS ANGELES VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART TO NAV AND GET 'SOCAL' APCH FREQS, I CONTINUED FLT INTO FLOOR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE APPROX IN VICINITY OF LGB ARPT. WAS VERY UPSET WHEN I REALIZED I WAS IN CLASS B WITHOUT CLRNC. GOT AHOLD OF SOCAL APCH AND ASKED FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING TO L35. SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN CLRNC BEFORE ENTERING OR STAYED BELOW FLOOR. IN SHORT, I FORGOT MOMENTARILY ABOUT ALT LIMIT WHILE CLBING, NAVING AND FUMBLING WITH CHART TO GET RIGHT FREQ FOR CURRENT LOCATION. THIS ALL HAPPENED SOON AFTER DEP FROM TOA. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) WRITE DOWN FREQS BEFORE TKOF. ALSO CAREFULLY REVIEW CLASS B REQUIREMENTS BEFORE GETTING TOO BUSY. 2) CHANGE LAX CHART BY PUTTING SOCAL APCH FREQ ON BACK SIDE WHERE THERE IS LESS CLUTTER. WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOCAL FREQ BOUNDARIES MARKED AS IN IFR 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.

BE35 pilot without a flight plan entered class B airspace without clearance or communication. Reporter contacted approach controller to advise and obtain flight following.