Private pilot, trying to navigation by visual ground reference, low visibility, inadvertently flew i...

Attributes
ACN	339329
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	339329
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed vny airport en route to tij on VFR conditions. My plan was to fly the VFR corridor through the lax class B airspace. After departing van nuys airport I flew towards santa monica airport to intercept SVFR corridor. After takeoff visibility deteriorated rapidly to the point I had no ground reference. I called socal approach and received a squawk code and asked for vectors to SVFR corridor. Waiting for vectors I kept flying on my present heading. When the controller finally got back to me he said I had entered the class B airspace. I then turned toward the oceanside VOR and flew to it and proceeded on my way. I believe the situation occurred because of 3 things: visibility was very poor due to la smog, so seeing the coastline was impossible. The coast SVFR corridor was not on a VOR radial so it would be easy to follow, the controllers were so busy that you could not break in to ask for information until it was too late. My suggestion as to how to help would be to mark charts clearly with radials for SVFR rtes, not with landmarks lie north of shoreline or hwys, this way if areas like lax where visibility is so poor, you would be able to positively navigation your way through the airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT, TRYING TO NAV BY VISUAL GND REF, LOW VISIBILITY, INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. APCH CTLR ADVISED HIM OF SUCH AND HE CORRECT OUT OF CLASS B.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VNY ARPT ENRTE TO TIJ ON VFR CONDITIONS. MY PLAN WAS TO FLY THE VFR CORRIDOR THROUGH THE LAX CLASS B AIRSPACE. AFTER DEPARTING VAN NUYS ARPT I FLEW TOWARDS SANTA MONICA ARPT TO INTERCEPT SVFR CORRIDOR. AFTER TKOF VISIBILITY DETERIORATED RAPIDLY TO THE POINT I HAD NO GND REF. I CALLED SOCAL APCH AND RECEIVED A SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO SVFR CORRIDOR. WAITING FOR VECTORS I KEPT FLYING ON MY PRESENT HDG. WHEN THE CTLR FINALLY GOT BACK TO ME HE SAID I HAD ENTERED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I THEN TURNED TOWARD THE OCEANSIDE VOR AND FLEW TO IT AND PROCEEDED ON MY WAY. I BELIEVE THE SIT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF 3 THINGS: VISIBILITY WAS VERY POOR DUE TO LA SMOG, SO SEEING THE COASTLINE WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THE COAST SVFR CORRIDOR WAS NOT ON A VOR RADIAL SO IT WOULD BE EASY TO FOLLOW, THE CTLRS WERE SO BUSY THAT YOU COULD NOT BREAK IN TO ASK FOR INFO UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. MY SUGGESTION AS TO HOW TO HELP WOULD BE TO MARK CHARTS CLRLY WITH RADIALS FOR SVFR RTES, NOT WITH LANDMARKS LIE N OF SHORELINE OR HWYS, THIS WAY IF AREAS LIKE LAX WHERE VISIBILITY IS SO POOR, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO POSITIVELY NAV YOUR WAY THROUGH THE AIRSPACE.

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.

Private pilot, trying to navigation by visual ground reference, low visibility, inadvertently flew into class B airspace. Approach controller advised him of such and he correct out of class B.