Erroneous penetration of class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	321130
Time
Date	199511
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hhr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	321130
Events
Anomaly	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:

After an IFR to VFR on top departure, out of hhr altitude 3.0/heading 180 degrees assigned by socal approach, I cancelled IFR and continued on the assigned heading of 180 degrees and proceeded to climb to 5000 ft to cross the sli 251 degree radial at or below 5000 ft. After crossing the sli 251 degree radial, I began a right turn on the sli 251 degree radial. I proceeded to climb to at or above 12500 ft in order to clear the lax class B. I had been given a 1200 code and a frequency change as soon as I had cancelled IFR. During the climb after the turn on the sli 251 degree raidal, I saw traffic at about 1 O'clock position and converging. A left turn would not have been sufficient to clear traffic. I turned to the right to pass behind the traffic. After clearing traffic I started to turn left back to the 251 degree radial when I noticed I had crossed into class B airspace. Immediately, I turned further left to a heading of 180 degrees after clearing the 251 degree radial, by a larger margin the second time, I continued climb and my turn until well clear of the class B airspace. When I finally got flight following I was expecting a reprimand or a phone number to call but received none. Instead the controller asked me which airport I had departed, which, to me, sounded unusual. In my flustered state I reported I had left fullerton. When I went to correct what I had said, the controller was busy with other aircraft. I decided it was unimportant. Maybe not. In retrospect, I have decided to always remain IFR in complex airspace, especially the lax class B due to its complexity. I also realize that VOR azimuth become less accurate at greater distances. Due to that error I may have entered class B in the climb before the turn was initiated. VOR azimuth and DME from the lax VOR was inoperative. I was relying on the 251 degree radial and the last assigned heading from ATC to clear me of the TCA/class B. I should have remained IFR or at least not let ATC terminate radar service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AFTER AN IFR TO VFR ON TOP DEP, OUT OF HHR ALT 3.0/HDG 180 DEGS ASSIGNED BY SOCAL APCH, I CANCELLED IFR AND CONTINUED ON THE ASSIGNED HDG OF 180 DEGS AND PROCEEDED TO CLB TO 5000 FT TO CROSS THE SLI 251 DEG RADIAL AT OR BELOW 5000 FT. AFTER XING THE SLI 251 DEG RADIAL, I BEGAN A R TURN ON THE SLI 251 DEG RADIAL. I PROCEEDED TO CLB TO AT OR ABOVE 12500 FT IN ORDER TO CLR THE LAX CLASS B. I HAD BEEN GIVEN A 1200 CODE AND A FREQ CHANGE AS SOON AS I HAD CANCELLED IFR. DURING THE CLB AFTER THE TURN ON THE SLI 251 DEG RAIDAL, I SAW TFC AT ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK POS AND CONVERGING. A L TURN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TO CLR TFC. I TURNED TO THE R TO PASS BEHIND THE TFC. AFTER CLRING TFC I STARTED TO TURN L BACK TO THE 251 DEG RADIAL WHEN I NOTICED I HAD CROSSED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. IMMEDIATELY, I TURNED FURTHER L TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AFTER CLRING THE 251 DEG RADIAL, BY A LARGER MARGIN THE SECOND TIME, I CONTINUED CLB AND MY TURN UNTIL WELL CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN I FINALLY GOT FLT FOLLOWING I WAS EXPECTING A REPRIMAND OR A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL BUT RECEIVED NONE. INSTEAD THE CTLR ASKED ME WHICH ARPT I HAD DEPARTED, WHICH, TO ME, SOUNDED UNUSUAL. IN MY FLUSTERED STATE I RPTED I HAD LEFT FULLERTON. WHEN I WENT TO CORRECT WHAT I HAD SAID, THE CTLR WAS BUSY WITH OTHER ACFT. I DECIDED IT WAS UNIMPORTANT. MAYBE NOT. IN RETROSPECT, I HAVE DECIDED TO ALWAYS REMAIN IFR IN COMPLEX AIRSPACE, ESPECIALLY THE LAX CLASS B DUE TO ITS COMPLEXITY. I ALSO REALIZE THAT VOR AZIMUTH BECOME LESS ACCURATE AT GREATER DISTANCES. DUE TO THAT ERROR I MAY HAVE ENTERED CLASS B IN THE CLB BEFORE THE TURN WAS INITIATED. VOR AZIMUTH AND DME FROM THE LAX VOR WAS INOP. I WAS RELYING ON THE 251 DEG RADIAL AND THE LAST ASSIGNED HDG FROM ATC TO CLR ME OF THE TCA/CLASS B. I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED IFR OR AT LEAST NOT LET ATC TERMINATE RADAR SVC.

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.