Erroneous penetration into class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	302996
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi airport : cgs
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 221 flight time type : 34
ASRS Report	302996
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the early evening of apr/tue/95 at approximately XA00 pm, I had taken off from college park airport (cgs). Immediately after takeoff, I contacted baltimore approach to obtain clearance through the baltimore washington airport (bwi) class B airspace. I was denied. At this point I was navigating with a portable GPS of which I was not thoroughly familiar with. I then reprogrammed the GPS from bwi to fallston airport (W42) at which point my course would have taken me west and under the bwi class B airspace. However, without my knowledge the GPS retained the bwi program in memory and it was the bwi course that I was tracking and not W42. Mins later I observed a large airport approximately 8 NM north of my position while at an altitude of 1200 ft. At this point, I contacted baltimore approach and informed them that I believed that I may have inadvertently entered their airspace. In order to confirm my position, I told the controller that I was observing a heavy jet in the process of taking off. The controller then confirmed that I was in bwi's airspace. He then gave me a heading that would exit me from the area and requested me to contact him via telephone when I arrived at my destination airport. I complied. Comments: this problem obviously arose because of my unfamiliarity with the portable GPS. I was unaware that it could actually retain a previously programmed location. The error was discovered when I observed an unfamiliar airport and confirmed it by VOR. Corrective action: I immediately contacted approach while simultaneously turning away from the airport and maintaining a safe low altitude (1200 ft). The purpose of contacting approach was not only to notify them of my presence but also to obtain the safest route out of the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DURING THE EARLY EVENING OF APR/TUE/95 AT APPROX XA00 PM, I HAD TAKEN OFF FROM COLLEGE PARK ARPT (CGS). IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, I CONTACTED BALTIMORE APCH TO OBTAIN CLRNC THROUGH THE BALTIMORE WASHINGTON ARPT (BWI) CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS DENIED. AT THIS POINT I WAS NAVING WITH A PORTABLE GPS OF WHICH I WAS NOT THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH. I THEN REPROGRAMMED THE GPS FROM BWI TO FALLSTON ARPT (W42) AT WHICH POINT MY COURSE WOULD HAVE TAKEN ME W AND UNDER THE BWI CLASS B AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE THE GPS RETAINED THE BWI PROGRAM IN MEMORY AND IT WAS THE BWI COURSE THAT I WAS TRACKING AND NOT W42. MINS LATER I OBSERVED A LARGE ARPT APPROX 8 NM N OF MY POS WHILE AT AN ALT OF 1200 FT. AT THIS POINT, I CONTACTED BALTIMORE APCH AND INFORMED THEM THAT I BELIEVED THAT I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THEIR AIRSPACE. IN ORDER TO CONFIRM MY POS, I TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WAS OBSERVING A HVY JET IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING OFF. THE CTLR THEN CONFIRMED THAT I WAS IN BWI'S AIRSPACE. HE THEN GAVE ME A HDG THAT WOULD EXIT ME FROM THE AREA AND REQUESTED ME TO CONTACT HIM VIA TELEPHONE WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DEST ARPT. I COMPLIED. COMMENTS: THIS PROB OBVIOUSLY AROSE BECAUSE OF MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE PORTABLE GPS. I WAS UNAWARE THAT IT COULD ACTUALLY RETAIN A PREVIOUSLY PROGRAMMED LOCATION. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED WHEN I OBSERVED AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT AND CONFIRMED IT BY VOR. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED APCH WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING AWAY FROM THE ARPT AND MAINTAINING A SAFE LOW ALT (1200 FT). THE PURPOSE OF CONTACTING APCH WAS NOT ONLY TO NOTIFY THEM OF MY PRESENCE BUT ALSO TO OBTAIN THE SAFEST RTE OUT OF THE AREA.

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.