Narrative:

I tried calling tpa approach to get cleared into their airspace 30 NM southeast of whitted at 4500 ft. Getting closer, I began to circle, waiting for clearance. I was descending in circles from 4500 ft to 2500 ft to 1100 ft when tpa approach did not clear me into class B, during the circling, I am afraid I might have come close or busted class B or class C airspace, as I was circling too widely. Also, when I stopped circling, there was a fire nearby and the updrafts of the fire were quite turbulent (making it a bit more difficult to maintain altitude +/-100 ft). It is possible that I could have busted sarasota's airspace and/or tpa's airspace. I was trying very hard to maintain situational awareness, descend, but stay on course. I was afraid of getting off course and getting lost, and I should have just descended to 1000 ft instead of circling to fly under class B and avoid class C. I wanted experience, though, talking to approach control. Next time I will fly under if they don't respond to me or clear me.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE LOW TIME PLT OF A SMALL ACFT STARTED TO CIRCLE AND DSND WHILE AWAITING PERMISSION TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE DIAMETER OF THE CIRCLE APPARENTLY INCREASED TO THE DEG THAT CLASS B AND POSSIBLY CLASS C WAS ENTERED WITHOUT PERMISSION.

Narrative: I TRIED CALLING TPA APCH TO GET CLRED INTO THEIR AIRSPACE 30 NM SE OF WHITTED AT 4500 FT. GETTING CLOSER, I BEGAN TO CIRCLE, WAITING FOR CLRNC. I WAS DSNDING IN CIRCLES FROM 4500 FT TO 2500 FT TO 1100 FT WHEN TPA APCH DID NOT CLR ME INTO CLASS B, DURING THE CIRCLING, I AM AFRAID I MIGHT HAVE COME CLOSE OR BUSTED CLASS B OR CLASS C AIRSPACE, AS I WAS CIRCLING TOO WIDELY. ALSO, WHEN I STOPPED CIRCLING, THERE WAS A FIRE NEARBY AND THE UPDRAFTS OF THE FIRE WERE QUITE TURBULENT (MAKING IT A BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN ALT +/-100 FT). IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I COULD HAVE BUSTED SARASOTA'S AIRSPACE AND/OR TPA'S AIRSPACE. I WAS TRYING VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, DSND, BUT STAY ON COURSE. I WAS AFRAID OF GETTING OFF COURSE AND GETTING LOST, AND I SHOULD HAVE JUST DSNDED TO 1000 FT INSTEAD OF CIRCLING TO FLY UNDER CLASS B AND AVOID CLASS C. I WANTED EXPERIENCE, THOUGH, TALKING TO APCH CTL. NEXT TIME I WILL FLY UNDER IF THEY DON'T RESPOND TO ME OR CLR ME.

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.