Narrative:

I filed IFR, received the clearance and proceeded to my destination which was VFR. After about 4 1/2 hours around XA00 we started the return trip. It was VFR, but when I climbed out, I could see the stratus 30 NM away over the hills that surround the bay area. I had set the LORAN direct pao. My cruising altitude was 5500 ft. After reaching ccr VOR at 5500 ft, I started a descent. I had been in contact with travis approach who handed me off to bay approach. I monitored the distance to the sfo VOR on the LORAN (DME was inoperative) to avoid class B, switching back and forth to oak VOR to see how close. I had abandoned my 'plan' of direct pao as I was on top of a solid layer of stratus over the hilly section, probably ceiling at 4000 ft. I wanted to fly direct oak VOR, then across the bay to pao. I descended to below 4500 ft (class B at 20 NM) and realized that I was probably not more than 500 ft above the clouds. At 17 NM sfo VOR I asked bay about the WX at oak -- it was 2500 ft scattered. This encouraged me to press on with the hope that the clouds would be either lower or have burned off before the 3000 ft MSL 15 NM class B. As I was at 15.7 NM I requested a clearance (after the handoff from bay to oak tower) through the class B realizing I wouldn't be able to go below 4000 ft to actually 3000 ft. At 14.9 NM (now barely in class B) I started a 180 degree turn to get out, announced it on the radio. Oak tower came back right after 40 degrees of my turn and instructed me to continue through class B on my original heading. Right at this point the clouds broke up and started my descent to 2500 ft. I verified once more that I was authority/authorized through class B and received confirmation. The flight was uneventful after that. The following are, in my opinion, the reasons that led up to the unauthorized entry: 1) not filing IFR after seeing the cloud covers. 2) not flying the diablo/dublin valley to sunol and then to pao to avoid any airspace. 3) not following the advice or option offered by bay right above ccr whether to go east of lake chabot (keeps you out of class B). They mentioned (bay) stay clear of class B. 4) letting the mileage get this close to 15.0 before asking for clearance (airplane's speed was 160 KIAS). 5) not making a 180 degree turn earlier to avoid the class B and, last but not least 6) violating cloud distance requirements. This was unnecessary risk with my family in the airplane and I will not take it again. I will file IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I FILED IFR, RECEIVED THE CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO MY DEST WHICH WAS VFR. AFTER ABOUT 4 1/2 HRS AROUND XA00 WE STARTED THE RETURN TRIP. IT WAS VFR, BUT WHEN I CLBED OUT, I COULD SEE THE STRATUS 30 NM AWAY OVER THE HILLS THAT SURROUND THE BAY AREA. I HAD SET THE LORAN DIRECT PAO. MY CRUISING ALT WAS 5500 FT. AFTER REACHING CCR VOR AT 5500 FT, I STARTED A DSCNT. I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TRAVIS APCH WHO HANDED ME OFF TO BAY APCH. I MONITORED THE DISTANCE TO THE SFO VOR ON THE LORAN (DME WAS INOP) TO AVOID CLASS B, SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH TO OAK VOR TO SEE HOW CLOSE. I HAD ABANDONED MY 'PLAN' OF DIRECT PAO AS I WAS ON TOP OF A SOLID LAYER OF STRATUS OVER THE HILLY SECTION, PROBABLY CEILING AT 4000 FT. I WANTED TO FLY DIRECT OAK VOR, THEN ACROSS THE BAY TO PAO. I DSNDED TO BELOW 4500 FT (CLASS B AT 20 NM) AND REALIZED THAT I WAS PROBABLY NOT MORE THAN 500 FT ABOVE THE CLOUDS. AT 17 NM SFO VOR I ASKED BAY ABOUT THE WX AT OAK -- IT WAS 2500 FT SCATTERED. THIS ENCOURAGED ME TO PRESS ON WITH THE HOPE THAT THE CLOUDS WOULD BE EITHER LOWER OR HAVE BURNED OFF BEFORE THE 3000 FT MSL 15 NM CLASS B. AS I WAS AT 15.7 NM I REQUESTED A CLRNC (AFTER THE HDOF FROM BAY TO OAK TWR) THROUGH THE CLASS B REALIZING I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO BELOW 4000 FT TO ACTUALLY 3000 FT. AT 14.9 NM (NOW BARELY IN CLASS B) I STARTED A 180 DEG TURN TO GET OUT, ANNOUNCED IT ON THE RADIO. OAK TWR CAME BACK RIGHT AFTER 40 DEGS OF MY TURN AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE THROUGH CLASS B ON MY ORIGINAL HDG. RIGHT AT THIS POINT THE CLOUDS BROKE UP AND STARTED MY DSCNT TO 2500 FT. I VERIFIED ONCE MORE THAT I WAS AUTH THROUGH CLASS B AND RECEIVED CONFIRMATION. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AFTER THAT. THE FOLLOWING ARE, IN MY OPINION, THE REASONS THAT LED UP TO THE UNAUTH ENTRY: 1) NOT FILING IFR AFTER SEEING THE CLOUD COVERS. 2) NOT FLYING THE DIABLO/DUBLIN VALLEY TO SUNOL AND THEN TO PAO TO AVOID ANY AIRSPACE. 3) NOT FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OR OPTION OFFERED BY BAY RIGHT ABOVE CCR WHETHER TO GO E OF LAKE CHABOT (KEEPS YOU OUT OF CLASS B). THEY MENTIONED (BAY) STAY CLR OF CLASS B. 4) LETTING THE MILEAGE GET THIS CLOSE TO 15.0 BEFORE ASKING FOR CLRNC (AIRPLANE'S SPD WAS 160 KIAS). 5) NOT MAKING A 180 DEG TURN EARLIER TO AVOID THE CLASS B AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST 6) VIOLATING CLOUD DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS. THIS WAS UNNECESSARY RISK WITH MY FAMILY IN THE AIRPLANE AND I WILL NOT TAKE IT AGAIN. I WILL FILE IFR.

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.