Unauthorized penetration of airspace. Proximity of class B airspace approach route.

Attributes
ACN	267616
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw airport : ads
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	267616
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from addison (north of dallas, tx) airport heading northwest in order to avoid dfw's class B airspace. We were going to denton airport, approximately 300 degree heading. As I was looking at my dfw VFR terminal area chart to tune in the dfw 40 degree radial, I asked my student to look for the denton rotating beacon. The student said 'I have it' and proceeded toward it. About 1 min I saw lots of lights (from airborne aircraft) on my right, above me. I looked left and viewed dfw's runways 17L/right. It was a very clear dark night and I had a lewisville lake on my right. I immediately turned the plane to the north and descended to 1000 ft MSL. Our cockpit light was so dim you had to use a flashlight to read the instruments, and I found that the directional gyro precessed 30 degrees out of phase, henceforth, my student picked the incorrect beacon to follow. The directional gyro showed 300 degrees, but in reality it was approximately 270 degrees. Because of night time and being unfamiliar with the area (first night time flight), I'm not sure if I was in the 100/sfc class B area or 100/20 area. At no time were we close to any other aircraft. This training aircraft has 1 basic radio. I should have tuned into regional approach 124.3 for radar vectors, but thought I could stay well north of the class B area. Also, the wind was east at 20 KTS. The winds, my looking at charts, tuning radio, student mistaking wrong beacon, all were things where I should have been more on top.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF CLASS B AIRSPACE APCH RTE.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM ADDISON (N OF DALLAS, TX) ARPT HDG NW IN ORDER TO AVOID DFW'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. WE WERE GOING TO DENTON ARPT, APPROX 300 DEG HDG. AS I WAS LOOKING AT MY DFW VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART TO TUNE IN THE DFW 40 DEG RADIAL, I ASKED MY STUDENT TO LOOK FOR THE DENTON ROTATING BEACON. THE STUDENT SAID 'I HAVE IT' AND PROCEEDED TOWARD IT. ABOUT 1 MIN I SAW LOTS OF LIGHTS (FROM AIRBORNE ACFT) ON MY R, ABOVE ME. I LOOKED L AND VIEWED DFW'S RWYS 17L/R. IT WAS A VERY CLR DARK NIGHT AND I HAD A LEWISVILLE LAKE ON MY R. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE PLANE TO THE N AND DSNDED TO 1000 FT MSL. OUR COCKPIT LIGHT WAS SO DIM YOU HAD TO USE A FLASHLIGHT TO READ THE INSTS, AND I FOUND THAT THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO PRECESSED 30 DEGS OUT OF PHASE, HENCEFORTH, MY STUDENT PICKED THE INCORRECT BEACON TO FOLLOW. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO SHOWED 300 DEGS, BUT IN REALITY IT WAS APPROX 270 DEGS. BECAUSE OF NIGHT TIME AND BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA (FIRST NIGHT TIME FLT), I'M NOT SURE IF I WAS IN THE 100/SFC CLASS B AREA OR 100/20 AREA. AT NO TIME WERE WE CLOSE TO ANY OTHER ACFT. THIS TRAINING ACFT HAS 1 BASIC RADIO. I SHOULD HAVE TUNED INTO REGIONAL APCH 124.3 FOR RADAR VECTORS, BUT THOUGHT I COULD STAY WELL N OF THE CLASS B AREA. ALSO, THE WIND WAS E AT 20 KTS. THE WINDS, MY LOOKING AT CHARTS, TUNING RADIO, STUDENT MISTAKING WRONG BEACON, ALL WERE THINGS WHERE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ON TOP.

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.