Narrative:

On a flight from dnl-ctj, I studiously avoided class 'B' airspace by navigating to an intermediate airport and then to my destination. This I did to avoid being vectored all over the place. On the return trip, I set climb confign and was concerned by the afternoon build-ups that appeared to be building faster and darker than usual. The route I took allowed me to climb to 8000 ft MSL and remain clear of class 'B' airspace. I attempted to raise ZTL to get an IFR clearance to dnl. As the build-ups worsened, we remained VFR by continuing to climb to 11500 ft MSL, thereby penetrating class 'B' airspace. This I realized only after ZTL asked me to repeat my n-number repeatedly on call up, yet wouldn't offer me any service until I was clear of the class 'B' area. 2 controllers said they'd momentarily clear me IFR and, after repeated requests, only passed me on to another controller. I failed by not getting a WX briefing for the return flight. I should have filed an IFR flight plan on the ground and, most of all, I shouldn't have let the deteriorating WX cause me to fixate so that I violated the class 'B' airspace inadvertently. I felt that atl's inattn to my situation also contributed to the problem. I had to go through 4 different sector controllers before I got one to do anything but give me an altimeter setting and say 'remain VFR, I have clearance shortly.' while I did successfully remain VFR and violated no far relating to cloud clrncs/visibility in doing so, I inadvertently penetrated class 'B' airspace. Frankly this disgusts me because I spend all day teaching this stuff! What I've learned is anyone can get distracted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT VIOLATED CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM DNL-CTJ, I STUDIOUSLY AVOIDED CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE BY NAVING TO AN INTERMEDIATE ARPT AND THEN TO MY DEST. THIS I DID TO AVOID BEING VECTORED ALL OVER THE PLACE. ON THE RETURN TRIP, I SET CLB CONFIGN AND WAS CONCERNED BY THE AFTERNOON BUILD-UPS THAT APPEARED TO BE BUILDING FASTER AND DARKER THAN USUAL. THE RTE I TOOK ALLOWED ME TO CLB TO 8000 FT MSL AND REMAIN CLR OF CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE. I ATTEMPTED TO RAISE ZTL TO GET AN IFR CLRNC TO DNL. AS THE BUILD-UPS WORSENED, WE REMAINED VFR BY CONTINUING TO CLB TO 11500 FT MSL, THEREBY PENETRATING CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE. THIS I REALIZED ONLY AFTER ZTL ASKED ME TO REPEAT MY N-NUMBER REPEATEDLY ON CALL UP, YET WOULDN'T OFFER ME ANY SVC UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THE CLASS 'B' AREA. 2 CTLRS SAID THEY'D MOMENTARILY CLR ME IFR AND, AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS, ONLY PASSED ME ON TO ANOTHER CTLR. I FAILED BY NOT GETTING A WX BRIEFING FOR THE RETURN FLT. I SHOULD HAVE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN ON THE GND AND, MOST OF ALL, I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET THE DETERIORATING WX CAUSE ME TO FIXATE SO THAT I VIOLATED THE CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE INADVERTENTLY. I FELT THAT ATL'S INATTN TO MY SIT ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. I HAD TO GO THROUGH 4 DIFFERENT SECTOR CTLRS BEFORE I GOT ONE TO DO ANYTHING BUT GIVE ME AN ALTIMETER SETTING AND SAY 'REMAIN VFR, I HAVE CLRNC SHORTLY.' WHILE I DID SUCCESSFULLY REMAIN VFR AND VIOLATED NO FAR RELATING TO CLOUD CLRNCS/VISIBILITY IN DOING SO, I INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE. FRANKLY THIS DISGUSTS ME BECAUSE I SPEND ALL DAY TEACHING THIS STUFF! WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS ANYONE CAN GET DISTRACTED.

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.