A BE76 pilot, while holding for landing clearance to myf, entered class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	548726
Time
Date	200205
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : myf.tower tower : san.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Duchess 76
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 575 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	548726
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I radioed initial contact to myf tower for landing clearance. They were as busy as I had ever heard them. I was given the instructions to remain clear of the class D airspace and call back in 8 mins. I was directly over airport see and decided to circle above the class D airspace of see in class east airspace at 3500 ft MSL. The airspace above see is bounded on the north and south by class B airspace. The boundary to the south is the 84 degree radial of mzb which I had committed to memory. I entered it into navigation #1 and I am sure I never entered the class B south of see. The class B boundary to the north of see is not defined by any radial, and must be avoided by pilotage. I admittedly am not as familiar with this northern boundary as the southern boundary. I did, however, have 2 GPS receivers running, and one has a map mode with airspace boundaries. I immediately flipped to this page and saw my circles above see, clear of class B airspace. During this 8 mins, I observed and heard several planes arrive behind me given clearance to land. After 8 mins, I retried myf tower, and was given the instructions to remain clear of class D airspace, and call back in 10 mins. When there was a break in the voice traffic, I tried this new controller. He told me to 'remain clear of class B airspace' and that he would work me in soon. He did. After 28 mins from my initial contact, I was cleared into the class D airspace for landing. Now, both of my GPS's put a warning on the screen when I enter class B. Both of them require a keystroke to clear the message. After landing, I noticed that my secondary GPS (without map mode) had the class B warning displayed. My primary GPS did not give me this message, and a review of the flight path on the map showed that I was close to class B but not in it. The 2 facts of the second controller's admonition to 'remain clear of class B' (instead of class D) and the warning on my secondary GPS that I had entered class B, make me wonder if maybe I had inadvertently entered class B airspace. If I did enter class B, it must have been only momentarily, and by less than 1 NM.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE76 PLT, WHILE HOLDING FOR LNDG CLRNC TO MYF, ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I RADIOED INITIAL CONTACT TO MYF TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC. THEY WERE AS BUSY AS I HAD EVER HEARD THEM. I WAS GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND CALL BACK IN 8 MINS. I WAS DIRECTLY OVER ARPT SEE AND DECIDED TO CIRCLE ABOVE THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF SEE IN CLASS E AIRSPACE AT 3500 FT MSL. THE AIRSPACE ABOVE SEE IS BOUNDED ON THE N AND S BY CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE BOUNDARY TO THE S IS THE 84 DEG RADIAL OF MZB WHICH I HAD COMMITTED TO MEMORY. I ENTERED IT INTO NAV #1 AND I AM SURE I NEVER ENTERED THE CLASS B S OF SEE. THE CLASS B BOUNDARY TO THE N OF SEE IS NOT DEFINED BY ANY RADIAL, AND MUST BE AVOIDED BY PILOTAGE. I ADMITTEDLY AM NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THIS NORTHERN BOUNDARY AS THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY. I DID, HOWEVER, HAVE 2 GPS RECEIVERS RUNNING, AND ONE HAS A MAP MODE WITH AIRSPACE BOUNDARIES. I IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED TO THIS PAGE AND SAW MY CIRCLES ABOVE SEE, CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. DURING THIS 8 MINS, I OBSERVED AND HEARD SEVERAL PLANES ARRIVE BEHIND ME GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND. AFTER 8 MINS, I RETRIED MYF TWR, AND WAS GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND CALL BACK IN 10 MINS. WHEN THERE WAS A BREAK IN THE VOICE TFC, I TRIED THIS NEW CTLR. HE TOLD ME TO 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE' AND THAT HE WOULD WORK ME IN SOON. HE DID. AFTER 28 MINS FROM MY INITIAL CONTACT, I WAS CLRED INTO THE CLASS D AIRSPACE FOR LNDG. NOW, BOTH OF MY GPS'S PUT A WARNING ON THE SCREEN WHEN I ENTER CLASS B. BOTH OF THEM REQUIRE A KEYSTROKE TO CLR THE MESSAGE. AFTER LNDG, I NOTICED THAT MY SECONDARY GPS (WITHOUT MAP MODE) HAD THE CLASS B WARNING DISPLAYED. MY PRIMARY GPS DID NOT GIVE ME THIS MESSAGE, AND A REVIEW OF THE FLT PATH ON THE MAP SHOWED THAT I WAS CLOSE TO CLASS B BUT NOT IN IT. THE 2 FACTS OF THE SECOND CTLR'S ADMONITION TO 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B' (INSTEAD OF CLASS D) AND THE WARNING ON MY SECONDARY GPS THAT I HAD ENTERED CLASS B, MAKE ME WONDER IF MAYBE I HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE. IF I DID ENTER CLASS B, IT MUST HAVE BEEN ONLY MOMENTARILY, AND BY LESS THAN 1 NM.

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.