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Pilot flying M02K to vgt airport is concerned because he may have inadvertently flown into class B airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 417740 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : las airport : vgt |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | military facility : lsv tracon : las |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 K (231) |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 417740 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
It was moonless night. The descent to vgt from bty VOR is bordered by R4806-west on the north and mount charleston and the spring mountain range to the west. Because it was pitch black, I stayed at 10500 ft MSL for longer than required for a safer descent to avoid shock cooling of my TS10360 engine. I requested clearance into the class B and was given it by 1 controller. The next sector (nellis approach) canceled it and instructed me to remain clear of the class B. As I approached lone mountain (outside the class B airspace), I began a circling descent to 4500 ft to dip below the class B floor and land at nlv airport (vgt). I'm not sure I succeeded. I may have wandered into the airspace during my descending 360 degree turns. There were no calls or comments from ATC or FAA, but I decided to file this report just in case. If the moon was shining and terrain was more visible, or had I flown closer to R4806-2 (or highway 95), this problem of descent could have been averted.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT FLYING M02K TO VGT ARPT IS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY FLOWN INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE.
Narrative: IT WAS MOONLESS NIGHT. THE DSCNT TO VGT FROM BTY VOR IS BORDERED BY R4806-W ON THE N AND MOUNT CHARLESTON AND THE SPRING MOUNTAIN RANGE TO THE W. BECAUSE IT WAS PITCH BLACK, I STAYED AT 10500 FT MSL FOR LONGER THAN REQUIRED FOR A SAFER DSCNT TO AVOID SHOCK COOLING OF MY TS10360 ENG. I REQUESTED CLRNC INTO THE CLASS B AND WAS GIVEN IT BY 1 CTLR. THE NEXT SECTOR (NELLIS APCH) CANCELED IT AND INSTRUCTED ME TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B. AS I APCHED LONE MOUNTAIN (OUTSIDE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE), I BEGAN A CIRCLING DSCNT TO 4500 FT TO DIP BELOW THE CLASS B FLOOR AND LAND AT NLV ARPT (VGT). I'M NOT SURE I SUCCEEDED. I MAY HAVE WANDERED INTO THE AIRSPACE DURING MY DSNDING 360 DEG TURNS. THERE WERE NO CALLS OR COMMENTS FROM ATC OR FAA, BUT I DECIDED TO FILE THIS RPT JUST IN CASE. IF THE MOON WAS SHINING AND TERRAIN WAS MORE VISIBLE, OR HAD I FLOWN CLOSER TO R4806-2 (OR HWY 95), THIS PROB OF DSCNT COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED.
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.