A pilot of an experimental aircraft may have entered clt class B airspace while on a cross country f...

Attributes
ACN	333270
Time
Date	199604
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt tower : cmh
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	333270
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was operating a small experimental aircraft on a VFR cross country flight. My projected course was to pass to the east of charlotte class B airspace on a southerly heading. The WX was good VFR but there was a broken cloud layer at about 6000 ft MSL and the visibility was only about 10 mi. The cloud layer began to thin and then it ended completely and the visibility suddenly improved to 60 mi or better. It was at this point that I discovered that I was closer to charlotte than I had anticipated. Being at 8500 ft, I thought I was above the class B airspace. I consulted the WAC chart I was using but discovered that the floor and ceiling heights for class B airspace are not included on the chart. After several mins I consulted the charlotte sectional chart and discovered that the ceiling of class B airspace at charlotte was 10000 ft MSL. I immediately climbed to 10500 ft MSL to stay above it. I was unable to determine exactly where I was laterally in relation to class B airspace prior to my climbing to 10500 ft and I may have been in class B airspace for a short time. I was not in communications with any ATC facility. The aircraft was equipped with and was using mode C altitude reporting transponder. I sighted no other aircraft and there was no traffic conflict. Flying VFR using visual references to remain clear of class B airspace is just too inexact. To be safe you just about have to have a GPS with a moving map display.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT MAY HAVE ENTERED CLT CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE ON A XCOUNTRY FLT. THE PLT WAS FLYING ABOVE A CLOUD LAYER AND DID NOT NOTICE HIS PROX TO CLASS B AIRSPACE UNTIL THE CLOUDS BEGAN TO CLR.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING A SMALL EXPERIMENTAL ACFT ON A VFR XCOUNTRY FLT. MY PROJECTED COURSE WAS TO PASS TO THE E OF CHARLOTTE CLASS B AIRSPACE ON A SOUTHERLY HDG. THE WX WAS GOOD VFR BUT THERE WAS A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER AT ABOUT 6000 FT MSL AND THE VISIBILITY WAS ONLY ABOUT 10 MI. THE CLOUD LAYER BEGAN TO THIN AND THEN IT ENDED COMPLETELY AND THE VISIBILITY SUDDENLY IMPROVED TO 60 MI OR BETTER. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS CLOSER TO CHARLOTTE THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED. BEING AT 8500 FT, I THOUGHT I WAS ABOVE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I CONSULTED THE WAC CHART I WAS USING BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE FLOOR AND CEILING HEIGHTS FOR CLASS B AIRSPACE ARE NOT INCLUDED ON THE CHART. AFTER SEVERAL MINS I CONSULTED THE CHARLOTTE SECTIONAL CHART AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CEILING OF CLASS B AIRSPACE AT CHARLOTTE WAS 10000 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 10500 FT MSL TO STAY ABOVE IT. I WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE I WAS LATERALLY IN RELATION TO CLASS B AIRSPACE PRIOR TO MY CLBING TO 10500 FT AND I MAY HAVE BEEN IN CLASS B AIRSPACE FOR A SHORT TIME. I WAS NOT IN COMS WITH ANY ATC FACILITY. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AND WAS USING MODE C ALT RPTING XPONDER. I SIGHTED NO OTHER ACFT AND THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. FLYING VFR USING VISUAL REFS TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE IS JUST TOO INEXACT. TO BE SAFE YOU JUST ABOUT HAVE TO HAVE A GPS WITH A MOVING MAP DISPLAY.

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.

A pilot of an experimental aircraft may have entered clt class B airspace while on a cross country flight. The pilot was flying above a cloud layer and did not notice his proximity to class B airspace until the clouds began to clear.