Pilot of an military erroneously penetrated class B airspace during descent out of IMC to VFR.

Attributes
ACN	334159
Time
Date	199604
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 4300
ASRS Report	334159
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After being cleared for an unrestr climb VFR above 8500 ft ie, clear of class B, a cloud deck was encountered at 8700 ft. This cloud deck was not forecasted and came in rapidly. WX was forecast to be 60 scattered 150 broken 200 overcast 10 mi. In order to remain clear of clouds the climb was stop and a descent was started. However, these clouds went down to 7500 ft. Radio frequency had been switched to ZKC. I was attempting to remain VFR, but wound up in class B airspace on center frequency. I was later told an airline was given a heading change because of my situation. No near miss or dangerous action was observed. Lesson learned, I should have been on departure control frequency versus center in view of rapidly changing WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN MIL ERRONEOUSLY PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE DURING DSCNT OUT OF IMC TO VFR.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR AN UNRESTR CLB VFR ABOVE 8500 FT IE, CLR OF CLASS B, A CLOUD DECK WAS ENCOUNTERED AT 8700 FT. THIS CLOUD DECK WAS NOT FORECASTED AND CAME IN RAPIDLY. WX WAS FORECAST TO BE 60 SCATTERED 150 BROKEN 200 OVCST 10 MI. IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS THE CLB WAS STOP AND A DSCNT WAS STARTED. HOWEVER, THESE CLOUDS WENT DOWN TO 7500 FT. RADIO FREQ HAD BEEN SWITCHED TO ZKC. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMAIN VFR, BUT WOUND UP IN CLASS B AIRSPACE ON CTR FREQ. I WAS LATER TOLD AN AIRLINE WAS GIVEN A HEADING CHANGE BECAUSE OF MY SIT. NO NEAR MISS OR DANGEROUS ACTION WAS OBSERVED. LESSON LEARNED, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON DEP CTL FREQ VERSUS CTR IN VIEW OF RAPIDLY CHANGING WX.

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.