Unauthorized penetration of airspace class B by student on solo flight.

Attributes
ACN	319594
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl airport : fty
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 45
ASRS Report	319594
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off from fty with winds reported calm. After approximately 40 mins of practice in an area 15 NM northwest from the fty field, I called the fty tower from a familiar local landmark 7 mi away with my intention to return to the field to practice touch and go lndgs. I was advised by the tower that their radar was inoperable and that they would be unable to provide flight following assistance. I was told to call again when I was 4 mi northwest from the airport. My altitude was 2500 ft and my heading 120 degrees. By this time it had become increasingly turbulent, and I realized that I did not have the airport in sight when I would have expected to. The tower asked me to state my position, and I thought I had a fix when I saw what I thought was a familiar clearing. I was not where I thought I was, however. When I saw jet traffic, I realized I was in atlanta hartsfield class B airspace. I immediately turned to a northwest course, and reported to fty tower that I was southwest of the airport. Tower suggested I call atlanta approach to get an exact position. I called atlanta approach and was vectored back to fty. Contributing factors: this was my first solo flight away from the fty traffic pattern, and my misinterp of the wind effect on the flight path over the ground. Calling atlanta approach to get radar assistance was critical. Fulton county class D is bordered by military airspace and class B, with a slim margin for navigational error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE CLASS B BY STUDENT ON SOLO FLT.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM FTY WITH WINDS RPTED CALM. AFTER APPROX 40 MINS OF PRACTICE IN AN AREA 15 NM NW FROM THE FTY FIELD, I CALLED THE FTY TWR FROM A FAMILIAR LCL LANDMARK 7 MI AWAY WITH MY INTENTION TO RETURN TO THE FIELD TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LNDGS. I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT THEIR RADAR WAS INOPERABLE AND THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FLT FOLLOWING ASSISTANCE. I WAS TOLD TO CALL AGAIN WHEN I WAS 4 MI NW FROM THE ARPT. MY ALT WAS 2500 FT AND MY HEADING 120 DEGS. BY THIS TIME IT HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY TURBULENT, AND I REALIZED THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT WHEN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED TO. THE TWR ASKED ME TO STATE MY POS, AND I THOUGHT I HAD A FIX WHEN I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A FAMILIAR CLRING. I WAS NOT WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS, HOWEVER. WHEN I SAW JET TFC, I REALIZED I WAS IN ATLANTA HARTSFIELD CLASS B AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO A NW COURSE, AND RPTED TO FTY TWR THAT I WAS SW OF THE ARPT. TWR SUGGESTED I CALL ATLANTA APCH TO GET AN EXACT POS. I CALLED ATLANTA APCH AND WAS VECTORED BACK TO FTY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THIS WAS MY FIRST SOLO FLT AWAY FROM THE FTY TFC PATTERN, AND MY MISINTERP OF THE WIND EFFECT ON THE FLT PATH OVER THE GND. CALLING ATLANTA APCH TO GET RADAR ASSISTANCE WAS CRITICAL. FULTON COUNTY CLASS D IS BORDERED BY MIL AIRSPACE AND CLASS B, WITH A SLIM MARGIN FOR NAVIGATIONAL ERROR.

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.