Narrative:

I departed myf in san diego. Major work had been done on my F33A bonanza and completed on my radio stack 2 days before our flight. The entire stack was removed and reinstalled, the autoplt relocated and the DME repaired. After takeoff, I turned onto V-66 heading east. I set the autoplt for a 076 degree heading and a climb of 500 FPM. I was checking out the autoplt, radios and the DME and failed to notice that we had climbed above 4800 ft on autoplt. At approximately 5500 ft, I noticed a passenger jet passing overhead about 3000-3500 ft above me. I immediately glanced at my altimeter and noticed I was above 4800 ft. I immediately disconnected the autoplt and descended. I do not feel that there was a conflict between my aircraft and the jet as there was a vertical separation of about 3000-3500 ft. However, I realized that a potential conflict did exist. I have flown out of myf for over 35 yrs and am very familiar with the area. My attention to the climb was diverted by the fact that I was checking out the radios and autoplt and perhaps by complacency in that I was so familiar with the area. The lesson that I have learned is that no matter how familiar one is with the airport, class B or the airplane, we must always be careful to fly the airplane first, monitor all flight instruments, particularly when we are on autoplt and pay attention to where we are at all times. Our attention should not be diverted from these primary functions. This will not happen to me again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F33A BONANZA PLT CLBS INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE ON V-66 AT 5500 FT WITHOUT CLRNC AFTER DEP MYF, CA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MYF IN SAN DIEGO. MAJOR WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON MY F33A BONANZA AND COMPLETED ON MY RADIO STACK 2 DAYS BEFORE OUR FLT. THE ENTIRE STACK WAS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED, THE AUTOPLT RELOCATED AND THE DME REPAIRED. AFTER TKOF, I TURNED ONTO V-66 HEADING E. I SET THE AUTOPLT FOR A 076 DEG HDG AND A CLB OF 500 FPM. I WAS CHKING OUT THE AUTOPLT, RADIOS AND THE DME AND FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WE HAD CLBED ABOVE 4800 FT ON AUTOPLT. AT APPROX 5500 FT, I NOTICED A PAX JET PASSING OVERHEAD ABOUT 3000-3500 FT ABOVE ME. I IMMEDIATELY GLANCED AT MY ALTIMETER AND NOTICED I WAS ABOVE 4800 FT. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND DSNDED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS A CONFLICT BTWN MY ACFT AND THE JET AS THERE WAS A VERT SEPARATION OF ABOUT 3000-3500 FT. HOWEVER, I REALIZED THAT A POTENTIAL CONFLICT DID EXIST. I HAVE FLOWN OUT OF MYF FOR OVER 35 YRS AND AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. MY ATTN TO THE CLB WAS DIVERTED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS CHKING OUT THE RADIOS AND AUTOPLT AND PERHAPS BY COMPLACENCY IN THAT I WAS SO FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. THE LESSON THAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT NO MATTER HOW FAMILIAR ONE IS WITH THE ARPT, CLASS B OR THE AIRPLANE, WE MUST ALWAYS BE CAREFUL TO FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST, MONITOR ALL FLT INSTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE ON AUTOPLT AND PAY ATTN TO WHERE WE ARE AT ALL TIMES. OUR ATTN SHOULD NOT BE DIVERTED FROM THESE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN.

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.