Narrative:

On a pleasure flight from cpm in the los angeles area to myf in the san diego area. Started descent from cruise altitude of 5500 ft MSL abeam del mar race track to reach an altitude of 2600 ft MSL just prior to reporting point torrey pines golf course. During descent the GPS began to suffer 'in use position sensor cannot determine latitude/longitude.' after leveling off and obtaining the ATIS at myf, I called the tower, indicating my desire to land, and they issued instructions to call downwind for runway 28L and for me to identify on code 1200. The GPS continued to have problems that I diverted attention to. The tower then called to ask my altitude. I checked and found it to be 2200 ft MSL, which I reported to them. They came back and said that I was at the wrong altitude, needing to be above 2500 ft MSL or below 1500 ft MSL and that I was in the class B airspace. Since I had another aircraft closing from the rear and above me, I elected to descend to 1400 ft MSL as rapidly as possible. I then proceeded to myf and landed. The problem here is that I allowed my attention to be diverted to the malfunctioning GPS and I then allowed the aircraft to drift down into class B airspace while I was attempting to get the GPS back on line. My GPS system has the ability to warn me when I am approaching class B, class C and restr airspace, and I have come to count on its help. When it malfunctioned, instead of dropping it out of the loop and using visual navigation in concert with san VFR terminal area chart, I diverted too much attention to it, thus allowing the aircraft to drift down to 2200 ft MSL.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA18-150 SUPER CUB ALLOWED HIS ACFT TO DRIFT INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN HE WAS DISTR BY PROBS WITH HIS GPS. HIS DEST TWR, A SATELLITE ARPT BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, ADVISED THAT HE WAS IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A PLEASURE FLT FROM CPM IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA TO MYF IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA. STARTED DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT OF 5500 FT MSL ABEAM DEL MAR RACE TRACK TO REACH AN ALT OF 2600 FT MSL JUST PRIOR TO RPTING POINT TORREY PINES GOLF COURSE. DURING DSCNT THE GPS BEGAN TO SUFFER 'IN USE POS SENSOR CANNOT DETERMINE LATITUDE/LONGITUDE.' AFTER LEVELING OFF AND OBTAINING THE ATIS AT MYF, I CALLED THE TWR, INDICATING MY DESIRE TO LAND, AND THEY ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL DOWNWIND FOR RWY 28L AND FOR ME TO IDENT ON CODE 1200. THE GPS CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBS THAT I DIVERTED ATTN TO. THE TWR THEN CALLED TO ASK MY ALT. I CHKED AND FOUND IT TO BE 2200 FT MSL, WHICH I RPTED TO THEM. THEY CAME BACK AND SAID THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ALT, NEEDING TO BE ABOVE 2500 FT MSL OR BELOW 1500 FT MSL AND THAT I WAS IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. SINCE I HAD ANOTHER ACFT CLOSING FROM THE REAR AND ABOVE ME, I ELECTED TO DSND TO 1400 FT MSL AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO MYF AND LANDED. THE PROB HERE IS THAT I ALLOWED MY ATTN TO BE DIVERTED TO THE MALFUNCTIONING GPS AND I THEN ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DRIFT DOWN INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET THE GPS BACK ON LINE. MY GPS SYS HAS THE ABILITY TO WARN ME WHEN I AM APCHING CLASS B, CLASS C AND RESTR AIRSPACE, AND I HAVE COME TO COUNT ON ITS HELP. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONED, INSTEAD OF DROPPING IT OUT OF THE LOOP AND USING VISUAL NAV IN CONCERT WITH SAN VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART, I DIVERTED TOO MUCH ATTN TO IT, THUS ALLOWING THE ACFT TO DRIFT DOWN TO 2200 FT MSL.

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.