PA28 pilot receiving flight following from ATC enters class B airspace without receiving clearance.

Attributes
ACN	576194
Time
Date	200303
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 634 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	576194
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On mar/tue/03, I was returning to my home base (frg) from a pleasure trip from ith. After departing ith, I contacted binghamton approach, asked for flight following. I was issued a transponder code and cleared to 5500 ft MSL. In the course of the flight, it was necessary to descend to 3500 ft MSL to maintain VFR. I was handed off to wilkes barre approach, then to new york approach as I got closer to the ny class B. I knew I was approaching the class B, and was sure I would get cleared to enter. As I listened to the frequency, the controller was busy with a practice approach at another airport. When I finally reached him, he could not hand me off, but gave me the next frequency, but it was too late. I turned immediately, but was too late, I was already in class B. After getting yelled at, the next controller vectored me around the class B. I know I was wrong and shouldn't have depended on the controllers to hand me off. I will be very careful in the future. My inaction put me where I wasn't supposed to be.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING FROM ATC ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT RECEIVING CLRNC.

Narrative: ON MAR/TUE/03, I WAS RETURNING TO MY HOME BASE (FRG) FROM A PLEASURE TRIP FROM ITH. AFTER DEPARTING ITH, I CONTACTED BINGHAMTON APCH, ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I WAS ISSUED A XPONDER CODE AND CLRED TO 5500 FT MSL. IN THE COURSE OF THE FLT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO DSND TO 3500 FT MSL TO MAINTAIN VFR. I WAS HANDED OFF TO WILKES BARRE APCH, THEN TO NEW YORK APCH AS I GOT CLOSER TO THE NY CLASS B. I KNEW I WAS APCHING THE CLASS B, AND WAS SURE I WOULD GET CLRED TO ENTER. AS I LISTENED TO THE FREQ, THE CTLR WAS BUSY WITH A PRACTICE APCH AT ANOTHER ARPT. WHEN I FINALLY REACHED HIM, HE COULD NOT HAND ME OFF, BUT GAVE ME THE NEXT FREQ, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. I TURNED IMMEDIATELY, BUT WAS TOO LATE, I WAS ALREADY IN CLASS B. AFTER GETTING YELLED AT, THE NEXT CTLR VECTORED ME AROUND THE CLASS B. I KNOW I WAS WRONG AND SHOULDN'T HAVE DEPENDED ON THE CTLRS TO HAND ME OFF. I WILL BE VERY CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE. MY INACTION PUT ME WHERE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE.

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.