Tv helicopter inadvertently penetrated class B airspace while orbiting area of a news story.

Attributes
ACN	490370
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : holding cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	490370
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Covering news story. GPS showed 6 mi from airport outside class B airspace. While doing orbits, accidentally penetrated class B airspace. Initially told by controller we could go to 1900 ft at that location. At no time did we think we were in class B airspace. Received call from control tower to call tower chief.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TV HELI INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE ORBITING AREA OF A NEWS STORY.

Narrative: COVERING NEWS STORY. GPS SHOWED 6 MI FROM ARPT OUTSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHILE DOING ORBITS, ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE. INITIALLY TOLD BY CTLR WE COULD GO TO 1900 FT AT THAT LOCATION. AT NO TIME DID WE THINK WE WERE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. RECEIVED CALL FROM CTL TWR TO CALL TWR CHIEF.

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.