Inadvertent entry into class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	298029
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bkl airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 85 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	298029
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was my first trip to bkl and into class B airspace, and because of concerns about navigating class B airspace,I hired a CFI to accompany me. Flight to bkl was uneventful. CFI and I planned departure from bkl and decided to turn to heading of 180 degrees (compared to desired heading of 210 degrees) and level off at 3000 ft MSL (as compared to desired altitude of 4500 ft MSL) until cleared into class B airspace. Following clearance into class B airspace and being assigned heading and altitude, cleveland approach controller said we had entered class B airspace before clearance, and were 9 mi from field (hopkins). He did not indicate an altitude. At 9 mi from the field, we were in an area where the floor of the airspace was 3000 ft MSL. The barometer had been set prior to takeoff and I was careful not to exceed 3000 ft, but it is possible that there was a momentary incursion by a small amount. I guess it is also possible that altimeter or transponder were in error. In the future I will fly a lower altitude until cleared to leave a margin for error, but tall towers in the area do not leave much room. Perhaps the best approach is to fly a heading of 140 degrees to avoid towers and stay at 2500 ft MSL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO BKL AND INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT NAVIGATING CLASS B AIRSPACE,I HIRED A CFI TO ACCOMPANY ME. FLT TO BKL WAS UNEVENTFUL. CFI AND I PLANNED DEP FROM BKL AND DECIDED TO TURN TO HDG OF 180 DEGS (COMPARED TO DESIRED HDG OF 210 DEGS) AND LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT MSL (AS COMPARED TO DESIRED ALT OF 4500 FT MSL) UNTIL CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. FOLLOWING CLRNC INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE AND BEING ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT, CLEVELAND APCH CTLR SAID WE HAD ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE CLRNC, AND WERE 9 MI FROM FIELD (HOPKINS). HE DID NOT INDICATE AN ALT. AT 9 MI FROM THE FIELD, WE WERE IN AN AREA WHERE THE FLOOR OF THE AIRSPACE WAS 3000 FT MSL. THE BAROMETER HAD BEEN SET PRIOR TO TKOF AND I WAS CAREFUL NOT TO EXCEED 3000 FT, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS A MOMENTARY INCURSION BY A SMALL AMOUNT. I GUESS IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT ALTIMETER OR XPONDER WERE IN ERROR. IN THE FUTURE I WILL FLY A LOWER ALT UNTIL CLRED TO LEAVE A MARGIN FOR ERROR, BUT TALL TWRS IN THE AREA DO NOT LEAVE MUCH ROOM. PERHAPS THE BEST APCH IS TO FLY A HDG OF 140 DEGS TO AVOID TWRS AND STAY AT 2500 FT MSL.

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.