C182 pilot enters class B airspace without clearance. Immediately exits the airspace.

Attributes
ACN	345180
Time
Date	199608
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6800 msl bound upper : 7200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	345180
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was fatigued as a result of too little sleep the night before -- worked late and arose at XA15. Filed VFR flight plan through duats. Planned to depart bjc approximately XC00 for flight directed to stk on a 50 degree heading. A delay in getting en route WX information through gte duats (via my home computer) and in filing my flight plan contributed to a departure delay. I departed bjc and opened my VFR flight plan through denver flight service station while airborne. I had filed for initial cruise altitude of 11500 ft MSL without really thinking about controled airspace because I usually fly cross country flts IFR. After turning to my departure heading of 50 degrees and opening my flight plan, I crosschecked my position on the denver VFR terminal area chart. Aghast that my altitude was (at 7200 ft MSL) above the floor of the class B airspace, I immediately descended to a cruise altitude of 6800 ft MSL, where I remained until well to the northeast of the denver class B airspace. While no apparent airspace conflict arose (ie, no other aircraft were in close proximity), to have avoided my inadvertent incursion into class B airspace, I should have: 1) tuned, idented and monitored the den VORTAC center of the class B airspace using DME to constantly be aware of my position with respect to the location of the class B airspace (I did this only after comparing my altitude with the class B airspace altitudes depicted on the chart), 2) studied the VFR terminal area chart more closely before departure, 3) contacted denver departure control immediately after departing bjc (I didn't do this because of the delay in contacting the denver FSS to open my VFR flight plan -- which I wouldn't have had to do if I had departed IFR) to request flight following and permission to enter class B airspace, and 4) not have been so fatigued before flying. A real learning experience concerning the need to set everything up well before departure -- even on a direct VFR flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. IMMEDIATELY EXITS THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WAS FATIGUED AS A RESULT OF TOO LITTLE SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE -- WORKED LATE AND AROSE AT XA15. FILED VFR FLT PLAN THROUGH DUATS. PLANNED TO DEPART BJC APPROX XC00 FOR FLT DIRECTED TO STK ON A 50 DEG HDG. A DELAY IN GETTING ENRTE WX INFO THROUGH GTE DUATS (VIA MY HOME COMPUTER) AND IN FILING MY FLT PLAN CONTRIBUTED TO A DEP DELAY. I DEPARTED BJC AND OPENED MY VFR FLT PLAN THROUGH DENVER FLT SVC STATION WHILE AIRBORNE. I HAD FILED FOR INITIAL CRUISE ALT OF 11500 FT MSL WITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT CTLED AIRSPACE BECAUSE I USUALLY FLY XCOUNTRY FLTS IFR. AFTER TURNING TO MY DEP HDG OF 50 DEGS AND OPENING MY FLT PLAN, I XCHKED MY POS ON THE DENVER VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART. AGHAST THAT MY ALT WAS (AT 7200 FT MSL) ABOVE THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO A CRUISE ALT OF 6800 FT MSL, WHERE I REMAINED UNTIL WELL TO THE NE OF THE DENVER CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHILE NO APPARENT AIRSPACE CONFLICT AROSE (IE, NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN CLOSE PROX), TO HAVE AVOIDED MY INADVERTENT INCURSION INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE, I SHOULD HAVE: 1) TUNED, IDENTED AND MONITORED THE DEN VORTAC CTR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE USING DME TO CONSTANTLY BE AWARE OF MY POS WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE (I DID THIS ONLY AFTER COMPARING MY ALT WITH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE ALTS DEPICTED ON THE CHART), 2) STUDIED THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART MORE CLOSELY BEFORE DEP, 3) CONTACTED DENVER DEP CTL IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTING BJC (I DIDN'T DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN CONTACTING THE DENVER FSS TO OPEN MY VFR FLT PLAN -- WHICH I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO IF I HAD DEPARTED IFR) TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING AND PERMISSION TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND 4) NOT HAVE BEEN SO FATIGUED BEFORE FLYING. A REAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE CONCERNING THE NEED TO SET EVERYTHING UP WELL BEFORE DEP -- EVEN ON A DIRECT VFR FLT.

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.