Narrative:

I may have flown (inadvertently) into class B (hou) without clearance and/or class D (efd) without 2-WAY communication with tower, after flying over clover field (T02). I was demonstrating RNAV operation to a passenger and continued to head north toward class B inner ring and temporarily lost position awareness. Contributing to my loss of position awareness was a directional gyro with a large precession (indicating 60 degrees north of heading). I thought I was heading east to stay out of class B and D airspace but I was flying directly toward them. In addition, I delayed my turn east because I was demonstrating RNAV. When I realized my position/error, I made an immediate turn to a southeast compass heading and proceeded to my base airport without further incident. I believe the real cause of the incident was my failure to keep correcting the directional gyro precession (excessive or not). Contributing was my failure to maintain position awareness. If I had maintained either of these, I believe this incident would not have happened. This 'close' call reinforced what I've read in flight training and aviation safety that the most vulnerable time for a private pilot is between 100 and 200 hours of flight time. Since this incident, I have discussed the situation with my instructor and other pilots. I was very upset that I allowed this to happen. This could have turned out worse than it did being that hou is one of the busiest airports in the united states. I am determined to make sure this doesn't happen again by always maintaining position awareness. In addition, I plan to set up some dual instruction to review my habits/instrument scan and for some hood time to correct deficiencies I may have.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS B AND D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I MAY HAVE FLOWN (INADVERTENTLY) INTO CLASS B (HOU) WITHOUT CLRNC AND/OR CLASS D (EFD) WITHOUT 2-WAY COM WITH TWR, AFTER FLYING OVER CLOVER FIELD (T02). I WAS DEMONSTRATING RNAV OP TO A PAX AND CONTINUED TO HEAD N TOWARD CLASS B INNER RING AND TEMPORARILY LOST POS AWARENESS. CONTRIBUTING TO MY LOSS OF POS AWARENESS WAS A DIRECTIONAL GYRO WITH A LARGE PRECESSION (INDICATING 60 DEGS N OF HDG). I THOUGHT I WAS HDG E TO STAY OUT OF CLASS B AND D AIRSPACE BUT I WAS FLYING DIRECTLY TOWARD THEM. IN ADDITION, I DELAYED MY TURN E BECAUSE I WAS DEMONSTRATING RNAV. WHEN I REALIZED MY POS/ERROR, I MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO A SE COMPASS HDG AND PROCEEDED TO MY BASE ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE REAL CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS MY FAILURE TO KEEP CORRECTING THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO PRECESSION (EXCESSIVE OR NOT). CONTRIBUTING WAS MY FAILURE TO MAINTAIN POS AWARENESS. IF I HAD MAINTAINED EITHER OF THESE, I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THIS 'CLOSE' CALL REINFORCED WHAT I'VE READ IN FLT TRAINING AND AVIATION SAFETY THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE TIME FOR A PVT PLT IS BTWN 100 AND 200 HRS OF FLT TIME. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH MY INSTRUCTOR AND OTHER PLTS. I WAS VERY UPSET THAT I ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN. THIS COULD HAVE TURNED OUT WORSE THAN IT DID BEING THAT HOU IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST ARPTS IN THE UNITED STATES. I AM DETERMINED TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN BY ALWAYS MAINTAINING POS AWARENESS. IN ADDITION, I PLAN TO SET UP SOME DUAL INSTRUCTION TO REVIEW MY HABITS/INST SCAN AND FOR SOME HOOD TIME TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES I MAY HAVE.

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.