Pilot of a mooney aircraft inadvertently entered class B airspace resulting in ATC intervention and ...

Attributes
ACN	431110
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : see.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	431110
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing gillespie field (see) for a business trip to phoenix (iwa), I called socal on 124.35 and requested flight following. I continued a slow climb under the 4800 ft MSL floor of the san diego class B airspace, east of gillespie field. When I determined that I had flown far enough east to reach the lateral limits of the 5800 ft floor, I continued climb to 5200 ft. I 'wilco'ed' the 'remain clear' ATC directive. The controller assigned me a discrete squawk and said 'if that's you at 5200 ft, you're in class B airspace without a clearance.' I don't believe, though, that I was within the lateral limits of the 4800 ft floor class B section. Possible cause of the misunderstanding is the complex system of crossing radials used to define the eastern boundary between 4800 ft and 5800 ft class B sections, plus inherent inaccuracy of VOR receivers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A MOONEY ACFT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION AND RADAR CONFIRMATION.

Narrative: DEPARTING GILLESPIE FIELD (SEE) FOR A BUSINESS TRIP TO PHOENIX (IWA), I CALLED SOCAL ON 124.35 AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING. I CONTINUED A SLOW CLB UNDER THE 4800 FT MSL FLOOR OF THE SAN DIEGO CLASS B AIRSPACE, E OF GILLESPIE FIELD. WHEN I DETERMINED THAT I HAD FLOWN FAR ENOUGH E TO REACH THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE 5800 FT FLOOR, I CONTINUED CLB TO 5200 FT. I 'WILCO'ED' THE 'REMAIN CLR' ATC DIRECTIVE. THE CTLR ASSIGNED ME A DISCRETE SQUAWK AND SAID 'IF THAT'S YOU AT 5200 FT, YOU'RE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC.' I DON'T BELIEVE, THOUGH, THAT I WAS WITHIN THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE 4800 FT FLOOR CLASS B SECTION. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING IS THE COMPLEX SYS OF XING RADIALS USED TO DEFINE THE EASTERN BOUNDARY BTWN 4800 FT AND 5800 FT CLASS B SECTIONS, PLUS INHERENT INACCURACY OF VOR RECEIVERS.

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.

Pilot of a mooney aircraft inadvertently entered class B airspace resulting in ATC intervention and radar confirmation.