C172 pilot appears to inadvertently enter class B airspace while being in traffic pattern at hef.

Attributes
ACN	601095
Time
Date	200311
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hef.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hef.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	601095
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

When landing at hef, approach turned me over to hef tower. I was still on an IFR flight plan, but in VFR conditions. Traffic was heavy this day. There was both l-hand and r-hand landing traffic at hef. After making initial contact with hef tower, I was advised to continue my left downwind for runway 16R and tower would 'call the base.' after extending the downwind for 4-5 mi and upon hearing the tower directing other planes to turn base, I realized that they had forgotten me. I called and made contact and was told to turn toward the field and report a '3 mi final.' this I did. The landing was uneventful, but I had probably extended into the washington class B airspace while waiting for the call to turn base. This was the result of a busy controller in a high density area. There was no incident except for the possible penetration of class B from class D airspace. I maintained my IFR squawk until landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT APPEARS TO INADVERTENTLY ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE BEING IN TFC PATTERN AT HEF.

Narrative: WHEN LNDG AT HEF, APCH TURNED ME OVER TO HEF TWR. I WAS STILL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, BUT IN VFR CONDITIONS. TFC WAS HVY THIS DAY. THERE WAS BOTH L-HAND AND R-HAND LNDG TFC AT HEF. AFTER MAKING INITIAL CONTACT WITH HEF TWR, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTINUE MY L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16R AND TWR WOULD 'CALL THE BASE.' AFTER EXTENDING THE DOWNWIND FOR 4-5 MI AND UPON HEARING THE TWR DIRECTING OTHER PLANES TO TURN BASE, I REALIZED THAT THEY HAD FORGOTTEN ME. I CALLED AND MADE CONTACT AND WAS TOLD TO TURN TOWARD THE FIELD AND RPT A '3 MI FINAL.' THIS I DID. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT I HAD PROBABLY EXTENDED INTO THE WASHINGTON CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE WAITING FOR THE CALL TO TURN BASE. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A BUSY CTLR IN A HIGH DENSITY AREA. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT EXCEPT FOR THE POSSIBLE PENETRATION OF CLASS B FROM CLASS D AIRSPACE. I MAINTAINED MY IFR SQUAWK UNTIL LNDG.

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.