Mooney pilot attempted VFR flight with ground obscured by clouds. A navigation failure contributed to disorientation and unauthorized penetration of class B airspace.

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Attributes
ACN	312250
Time
Date	199508
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mlb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	312250
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a mooney from mlb to srq. Due to events on the ground the flight was delayed for about an hour. We decided to fly VFR in the hopes of saving time and en route to srq. Shortly after takeoff, we experienced problems with the electrical system and lost the #1 navigation. Due to increasing thunderstorms, I decided to climb to 8500 ft to fly over the WX. By the time I called orlando approach, I was at 6500 ft and by the time radar contact had been established, I realized I had entered the orlando class B without being cleared. The controller also pointed this out. Traffic on his frequency was light and he was helpful to resolve the situation. A min later I decided to descend to 2500 ft and go under the WX. I was never in IMC, but at times, reference with the ground was difficult and it made pilotage difficult. After descending to 2500 ft, I remained on flight following until srq without further event. Looking back, I should have contacted orlando approach immediately after takeoff or just taken the time to file IFR. I was also not used to flying above 3000 ft without an IFR flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY PLT ATTEMPTED VFR FLT WITH GND OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. A NAV FAILURE CONTRIBUTED TO DISORIENTATION AND UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A MOONEY FROM MLB TO SRQ. DUE TO EVENTS ON THE GND THE FLT WAS DELAYED FOR ABOUT AN HR. WE DECIDED TO FLY VFR IN THE HOPES OF SAVING TIME AND ENRTE TO SRQ. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, WE EXPERIENCED PROBS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYS AND LOST THE #1 NAV. DUE TO INCREASING TSTMS, I DECIDED TO CLB TO 8500 FT TO FLY OVER THE WX. BY THE TIME I CALLED ORLANDO APCH, I WAS AT 6500 FT AND BY THE TIME RADAR CONTACT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, I REALIZED I HAD ENTERED THE ORLANDO CLASS B WITHOUT BEING CLRED. THE CTLR ALSO POINTED THIS OUT. TFC ON HIS FREQ WAS LIGHT AND HE WAS HELPFUL TO RESOLVE THE SIT. A MIN LATER I DECIDED TO DSND TO 2500 FT AND GO UNDER THE WX. I WAS NEVER IN IMC, BUT AT TIMES, REF WITH THE GND WAS DIFFICULT AND IT MADE PILOTAGE DIFFICULT. AFTER DSNDING TO 2500 FT, I REMAINED ON FLT FOLLOWING UNTIL SRQ WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT. LOOKING BACK, I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED ORLANDO APCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF OR JUST TAKEN THE TIME TO FILE IFR. I WAS ALSO NOT USED TO FLYING ABOVE 3000 FT WITHOUT AN IFR FLT PLAN.

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.