C172 pilot had incursion into hou class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	468180
Time
Date	200003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : efd.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	468180
Person 2
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	other other : pax pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying east along I-10 VFR corridor in houston with a destination of efd. Purpose of the flight was to return another pilot to his home base. I intended to follow I-10 east at 1700 ft MSL to a ground reference of beltway 8 and turn south clear of hou airspace. I mistook loop 610, for beltway 8, turned south and contacted efd tower reporting 9 NM north of efd. Tower assigned a squawk code, which I selected as I proceeded approximately 4 NM into class B airspace before I realized my mistake. I then descended to 1100 ft MSL turning east until I crossed beltway 8 and contacted efd tower reporting 5 NM north. My position was acknowledged and I completed a normal landing with no mention of my course deviation. Probably cause for this flight into controled airspace was pilot's complacency along a familiar route, decision not to contact ATC due to 1 inoperative radio, complacency induced by second pilot on board, and efd tower's failure to question aircraft position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD INCURSION INTO HOU CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING E ALONG I-10 VFR CORRIDOR IN HOUSTON WITH A DEST OF EFD. PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO RETURN ANOTHER PLT TO HIS HOME BASE. I INTENDED TO FOLLOW I-10 E AT 1700 FT MSL TO A GND REF OF BELTWAY 8 AND TURN S CLR OF HOU AIRSPACE. I MISTOOK LOOP 610, FOR BELTWAY 8, TURNED S AND CONTACTED EFD TWR RPTING 9 NM N OF EFD. TWR ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE, WHICH I SELECTED AS I PROCEEDED APPROX 4 NM INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I THEN DSNDED TO 1100 FT MSL TURNING E UNTIL I CROSSED BELTWAY 8 AND CONTACTED EFD TWR RPTING 5 NM N. MY POS WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND I COMPLETED A NORMAL LNDG WITH NO MENTION OF MY COURSE DEV. PROBABLY CAUSE FOR THIS FLT INTO CTLED AIRSPACE WAS PLT'S COMPLACENCY ALONG A FAMILIAR RTE, DECISION NOT TO CONTACT ATC DUE TO 1 INOP RADIO, COMPLACENCY INDUCED BY SECOND PLT ON BOARD, AND EFD TWR'S FAILURE TO QUESTION ACFT POS.

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.