Small aircraft climbs into class a airspace without IFR clearance.

Attributes
ACN	328927
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	328927
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from ism to mia climbing to 17500 ft I inadvertently climbed into class a and did not notice until reaching FL190. At the time I was trying to reach ZMA to get an IFR clearance to FL210 but wasn't paying attention to my altitude. The controller finally got to me with a squawk code and asked me my altitude when I noticed I had reached FL190. So I immediately made a descent to 17500 ft at which time I did receive a clearance to climb to FL210. This was an embarrassing experience and I will be more careful in the future when operating in the unfamiliar environment of class a.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLBS INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE WITHOUT IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ISM TO MIA CLBING TO 17500 FT I INADVERTENTLY CLBED INTO CLASS A AND DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL REACHING FL190. AT THE TIME I WAS TRYING TO REACH ZMA TO GET AN IFR CLRNC TO FL210 BUT WASN'T PAYING ATTN TO MY ALT. THE CTLR FINALLY GOT TO ME WITH A SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED ME MY ALT WHEN I NOTICED I HAD REACHED FL190. SO I IMMEDIATELY MADE A DSCNT TO 17500 FT AT WHICH TIME I DID RECEIVE A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL210. THIS WAS AN EMBARRASSING EXPERIENCE AND I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE WHEN OPERATING IN THE UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT OF CLASS A.

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.