Narrative:

When I did not find my destination airport, I began overflying other airports (class D) ttn, wri, pne trying to find my destination. I believe I maintained over 2700 ft MSL, but I'm not sure that I did. My main fear is that I may have crossed into class B, philadelphia. I think I was +10 NM from phl at 2600-2800 ft MSL but, I'm not sure, I turned away immediately at this point. Some factors are: first long distance cross country after getting check out in this faster aircraft, longer cross country ever taken alone, flew to the edge of ny sectional, not meaning to fly off chart, did not have washington chart, confusion, destination airport had obstructed view (hidden by trees), airspace in area much more congested than I am accustom to. Some human performance factors are: after not finding my destination airport, I began to use the sectional chart more and instruments less, I thought philadelphia might be trenton, nj, by looking at the yellow areas on the sectional, I headed in the direction of philadelphia, but when I could see 2 large strips of runway approximately +10 NM away, I immediately turned away and left the area, found my destination and landed. I should put more hours on aircraft type to become more accustom to aircraft, if flying to edges of sectionals, have additional sectional -- just in case/emergency, more use of vors in pinpointing destination airports, and call destination airport and ask about 'airport in general.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT, UNFAMILIAR WITH AREA, MANEUVERING, INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. PLT EXITS CLASS B AIRSPACE AND EVENTUALLY FINDS DEST ARPT.

Narrative: WHEN I DID NOT FIND MY DEST ARPT, I BEGAN OVERFLYING OTHER ARPTS (CLASS D) TTN, WRI, PNE TRYING TO FIND MY DEST. I BELIEVE I MAINTAINED OVER 2700 FT MSL, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT I DID. MY MAIN FEAR IS THAT I MAY HAVE CROSSED INTO CLASS B, PHILADELPHIA. I THINK I WAS +10 NM FROM PHL AT 2600-2800 FT MSL BUT, I'M NOT SURE, I TURNED AWAY IMMEDIATELY AT THIS POINT. SOME FACTORS ARE: FIRST LONG DISTANCE XCOUNTRY AFTER GETTING CHK OUT IN THIS FASTER ACFT, LONGER XCOUNTRY EVER TAKEN ALONE, FLEW TO THE EDGE OF NY SECTIONAL, NOT MEANING TO FLY OFF CHART, DID NOT HAVE WASHINGTON CHART, CONFUSION, DEST ARPT HAD OBSTRUCTED VIEW (HIDDEN BY TREES), AIRSPACE IN AREA MUCH MORE CONGESTED THAN I AM ACCUSTOM TO. SOME HUMAN PERFORMANCE FACTORS ARE: AFTER NOT FINDING MY DEST ARPT, I BEGAN TO USE THE SECTIONAL CHART MORE AND INSTS LESS, I THOUGHT PHILADELPHIA MIGHT BE TRENTON, NJ, BY LOOKING AT THE YELLOW AREAS ON THE SECTIONAL, I HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF PHILADELPHIA, BUT WHEN I COULD SEE 2 LARGE STRIPS OF RWY APPROX +10 NM AWAY, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AWAY AND LEFT THE AREA, FOUND MY DEST AND LANDED. I SHOULD PUT MORE HRS ON ACFT TYPE TO BECOME MORE ACCUSTOM TO ACFT, IF FLYING TO EDGES OF SECTIONALS, HAVE ADDITIONAL SECTIONAL -- JUST IN CASE/EMER, MORE USE OF VORS IN PINPOINTING DEST ARPTS, AND CALL DEST ARPT AND ASK ABOUT 'ARPT IN GENERAL.'

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.