Narrative:

I was to depart st petersburg (spg) at XA30. However, due to late passenger, I was informed the departure time would now be XC15. The whitted control tower closes at XC00. Being new to this airport, I first asked the local FBO manager, who was also a local pilot, what procedures are the norm for departing after the tower closes. He informed me tampa departure wants a departure on a 270 degree heading and remain below 2500 ft MSL. I then pointed out that would be in tampa's class B airspace. He stated the airport has an agreement with tampa departure that pilots would depart as stated 270 degrees and stay below 2500 ft MSL. Not totally agreeing with him, I called the ground ct. On 121.8 and asked the controller what procedures should I follow, and mentioned what the local FBO stated. The controller stated once the tower closed, I would be able to talk with st petersburg FSS on the ground using 121.8 and they would be able to give me my clearance. I called FSS for over 10 mins with no response. I also attempted to call on another frequency with no luck. After many attempts to reach FSS, I decided to take off and call tampa as soon as possible on the 2 frequencys listed on my approach plate. After departure, I started calling tampa 30 seconds of becoming airborne. After many attempts (15-20), a controller stated the person calling to switch to another frequency, which I did. Tampa departure then told me I was in class B airspace at 2000 ft and I should descend to 1100 ft, which I did. After several mins, I was given my clearance to destination. The new frequency is not listed on any of my commercial plates. I'm fully aware as PIC, it's my responsibility to stay clear of class B airspace. Never in my 13000+ hours have I broken this rule. However, I feel many factors help me make this mistake. Wrong information from a local pilot and ground control, unless FSS just did not answer me. Attempting to call tampa on a frequency list, but not monitored by the departure controller. And flying out of an airport I was not familiar with. None very good excuses, just some dumb mistakes. Many important lessons were learned on this one flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF BE30, UNABLE TO CONTACT TPA TRACON AFTER TWR CLOSURE, TAKES OFF FROM SPG AND ENTERS TPA CLASS B WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS TO DEPART ST PETERSBURG (SPG) AT XA30. HOWEVER, DUE TO LATE PAX, I WAS INFORMED THE DEP TIME WOULD NOW BE XC15. THE WHITTED CTL TWR CLOSES AT XC00. BEING NEW TO THIS ARPT, I FIRST ASKED THE LCL FBO MGR, WHO WAS ALSO A LCL PLT, WHAT PROCS ARE THE NORM FOR DEPARTING AFTER THE TWR CLOSES. HE INFORMED ME TAMPA DEP WANTS A DEP ON A 270 DEG HDG AND REMAIN BELOW 2500 FT MSL. I THEN POINTED OUT THAT WOULD BE IN TAMPA'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. HE STATED THE ARPT HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH TAMPA DEP THAT PLTS WOULD DEPART AS STATED 270 DEGS AND STAY BELOW 2500 FT MSL. NOT TOTALLY AGREEING WITH HIM, I CALLED THE GND CT. ON 121.8 AND ASKED THE CTLR WHAT PROCS SHOULD I FOLLOW, AND MENTIONED WHAT THE LCL FBO STATED. THE CTLR STATED ONCE THE TWR CLOSED, I WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK WITH ST PETERSBURG FSS ON THE GND USING 121.8 AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE ME MY CLRNC. I CALLED FSS FOR OVER 10 MINS WITH NO RESPONSE. I ALSO ATTEMPTED TO CALL ON ANOTHER FREQ WITH NO LUCK. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO REACH FSS, I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF AND CALL TAMPA ASAP ON THE 2 FREQS LISTED ON MY APCH PLATE. AFTER DEP, I STARTED CALLING TAMPA 30 SECONDS OF BECOMING AIRBORNE. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS (15-20), A CTLR STATED THE PERSON CALLING TO SWITCH TO ANOTHER FREQ, WHICH I DID. TAMPA DEP THEN TOLD ME I WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 2000 FT AND I SHOULD DSND TO 1100 FT, WHICH I DID. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I WAS GIVEN MY CLRNC TO DEST. THE NEW FREQ IS NOT LISTED ON ANY OF MY COMMERCIAL PLATES. I'M FULLY AWARE AS PIC, IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. NEVER IN MY 13000+ HRS HAVE I BROKEN THIS RULE. HOWEVER, I FEEL MANY FACTORS HELP ME MAKE THIS MISTAKE. WRONG INFO FROM A LCL PLT AND GND CTL, UNLESS FSS JUST DID NOT ANSWER ME. ATTEMPTING TO CALL TAMPA ON A FREQ LIST, BUT NOT MONITORED BY THE DEP CTLR. AND FLYING OUT OF AN ARPT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH. NONE VERY GOOD EXCUSES, JUST SOME DUMB MISTAKES. MANY IMPORTANT LESSONS WERE LEARNED ON THIS ONE FLT.

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.