Erroneous penetration of class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	310260
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nkx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 682 flight time type : 510
ASRS Report	310260
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching L39 from the east, smoke from a large (2000 acre) brush fire obscured visibility. Flight was diverted to the south. Flight path followed captain reservoir, then turned west, with flight path 5 NM north of see. Fire fighting (numerous) aircraft were observed, and flight path was continued to the west, then north. In an effort to remain clear of the aircraft and remain in VMC because of smoke, the class B airspace near nkx may have been violated. Contributing factors were unfamiliarity with area, use of sectional chart instead of terminal area chart, also a certain amount of pilot overload -- busy flying the plane and avoiding other aircraft and no time to look at map. As there were other planes in close proximity, didn't think about airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: APCHING L39 FROM THE E, SMOKE FROM A LARGE (2000 ACRE) BRUSH FIRE OBSCURED VISIBILITY. FLT WAS DIVERTED TO THE S. FLT PATH FOLLOWED CAPT RESERVOIR, THEN TURNED W, WITH FLT PATH 5 NM N OF SEE. FIRE FIGHTING (NUMEROUS) ACFT WERE OBSERVED, AND FLT PATH WAS CONTINUED TO THE W, THEN N. IN AN EFFORT TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ACFT AND REMAIN IN VMC BECAUSE OF SMOKE, THE CLASS B AIRSPACE NEAR NKX MAY HAVE BEEN VIOLATED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE UNFAMILIARITY WITH AREA, USE OF SECTIONAL CHART INSTEAD OF TERMINAL AREA CHART, ALSO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PLT OVERLOAD -- BUSY FLYING THE PLANE AND AVOIDING OTHER ACFT AND NO TIME TO LOOK AT MAP. AS THERE WERE OTHER PLANES IN CLOSE PROX, DIDN'T THINK ABOUT AIRSPACE.

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.