C177 pilot entered las class B with clearance.

Attributes
ACN	512680
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l15.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 110 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	512680
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was from gcn to L15 (henderson) via the peach spring VOR. Around 20 mi southeast of henderson I began my descent to 4500 ft to clear the ridge south of the airport. Around 10 mi southeast of the airport I began my attempts to establish communication with henderson tower. I was not able to say my callsign until 3 mi south of the airport, but during that time was able to determine that runway 18 was in use. There were 3 planes ahead of me and by the time I was 3 mi south of the airport, lined up for entering downwind, the tower called the plane ahead of me to make a wide downwind. I followed the plane ahead of me and began my descent to pattern altitude of 3300 ft. Midfield of the downwind, I heard on the radio, 'aircraft X you are too high and in class B airspace'. I made a rushed descent to 3300 ft, turned base and final and made an extremely poor landing. I knew about the class B airspace. I knew it was 4000 ft starting 3 mi south and 1 mi west of the airport. I blundered into it anyway. I had successfully landed just 4 days earlier at henderson so I was familiar with the area. This time, the traffic and communication level, although not at high levels, was above my ability to handle. I forgot to descend in time. I believe I need more experience in high traffic areas. If I can do this safely I would be very happy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT ENTERED LAS CLASS B WITH CLRNC.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS FROM GCN TO L15 (HENDERSON) VIA THE PEACH SPRING VOR. AROUND 20 MI SE OF HENDERSON I BEGAN MY DSCNT TO 4500 FT TO CLR THE RIDGE S OF THE ARPT. AROUND 10 MI SE OF THE ARPT I BEGAN MY ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH COM WITH HENDERSON TWR. I WAS NOT ABLE TO SAY MY CALLSIGN UNTIL 3 MI S OF THE ARPT, BUT DURING THAT TIME WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT RWY 18 WAS IN USE. THERE WERE 3 PLANES AHEAD OF ME AND BY THE TIME I WAS 3 MI S OF THE ARPT, LINED UP FOR ENTERING DOWNWIND, THE TWR CALLED THE PLANE AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE A WIDE DOWNWIND. I FOLLOWED THE PLANE AHEAD OF ME AND BEGAN MY DSCNT TO PATTERN ALT OF 3300 FT. MIDFIELD OF THE DOWNWIND, I HEARD ON THE RADIO, 'ACFT X YOU ARE TOO HIGH AND IN CLASS B AIRSPACE'. I MADE A RUSHED DSCNT TO 3300 FT, TURNED BASE AND FINAL AND MADE AN EXTREMELY POOR LNDG. I KNEW ABOUT THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I KNEW IT WAS 4000 FT STARTING 3 MI S AND 1 MI W OF THE ARPT. I BLUNDERED INTO IT ANYWAY. I HAD SUCCESSFULLY LANDED JUST 4 DAYS EARLIER AT HENDERSON SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. THIS TIME, THE TFC AND COM LEVEL, ALTHOUGH NOT AT HIGH LEVELS, WAS ABOVE MY ABILITY TO HANDLE. I FORGOT TO DSND IN TIME. I BELIEVE I NEED MORE EXPERIENCE IN HIGH TFC AREAS. IF I CAN DO THIS SAFELY I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY.

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.