Narrative:

I had taken off from det and was climbing out en route to jxn. I contacted det departure on 126.85 to obtain VFR flight following. I was navigating by ground reference, west along 8 mile road. This popular e-w VFR corridor is bounded by the 3000/8000 ft detroit class B middle tier to the south, the 4000/8000 ft outer tier above, and a group of 500-1000+ ft high towers to the north. I requested a VFR cruising altitude of 4500 ft intending to stay below 4000 ft until clear to the west of the class B airspace. I was told to stay clear of the class B airspace, which I acknowledged. I forgot about the 4000/8000 ft tier above me and continued climbing above 4000 ft. At about 4200 ft the controller informed me that I was in class B airspace and would be for another 5 mi. I was unaware of this incursion and did not understand what had gone wrong. The controller then cleared me into the class B airspace ending the conflict. Only later did I understand what I had done wrong. This incursion was completely due to pilot error. It was complicated by the fact that I was rushing to reach my destination before nightfall and that I had a passenger (my wife) on board. I tend to get distracted when she is flying with me and I want to make sure she is comfortable. This incursion could have been prevented by more diligence on my part. In the future, I will review the airspace structure that I am flying near more thoroughly. I will try not to be distracted from my responsibilities as a pilot while flying. I will also try to avoid flying when I feel rushed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE, CTLR INTERVENED, CLRED ACFT THROUGH THE CLASS B.

Narrative: I HAD TAKEN OFF FROM DET AND WAS CLBING OUT ENRTE TO JXN. I CONTACTED DET DEP ON 126.85 TO OBTAIN VFR FLT FOLLOWING. I WAS NAVING BY GND REF, W ALONG 8 MILE ROAD. THIS POPULAR E-W VFR CORRIDOR IS BOUNDED BY THE 3000/8000 FT DETROIT CLASS B MIDDLE TIER TO THE S, THE 4000/8000 FT OUTER TIER ABOVE, AND A GROUP OF 500-1000+ FT HIGH TWRS TO THE N. I REQUESTED A VFR CRUISING ALT OF 4500 FT INTENDING TO STAY BELOW 4000 FT UNTIL CLR TO THE W OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS TOLD TO STAY CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. I FORGOT ABOUT THE 4000/8000 FT TIER ABOVE ME AND CONTINUED CLBING ABOVE 4000 FT. AT ABOUT 4200 FT THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE AND WOULD BE FOR ANOTHER 5 MI. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS INCURSION AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD GONE WRONG. THE CTLR THEN CLRED ME INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE ENDING THE CONFLICT. ONLY LATER DID I UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAD DONE WRONG. THIS INCURSION WAS COMPLETELY DUE TO PLT ERROR. IT WAS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS RUSHING TO REACH MY DEST BEFORE NIGHTFALL AND THAT I HAD A PAX (MY WIFE) ON BOARD. I TEND TO GET DISTRACTED WHEN SHE IS FLYING WITH ME AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE IS COMFORTABLE. THIS INCURSION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY MORE DILIGENCE ON MY PART. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL REVIEW THE AIRSPACE STRUCTURE THAT I AM FLYING NEAR MORE THOROUGHLY. I WILL TRY NOT TO BE DISTRACTED FROM MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PLT WHILE FLYING. I WILL ALSO TRY TO AVOID FLYING WHEN I FEEL RUSHED.

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.