Narrative:

This was a continuation of a VFR flight from new york state to the caribbean in a light single engine aircraft. After a stopover in tamiami, fl, aircraft departed tmb from runway 9R. Runway heading was maintained for approximately 2.5 NM to allow a faster C210 that had departed the same runway to pass us to the right before proceeding to the dominican republic. After visually observing the C210 overtake us to the right, we saw him climb rapidly and turn to the left on a heading of approximately 115- 120 degrees. Our aircraft then turned to a heading of 125 degrees and using onboard VOR/GPS and LORAN, our aircraft proceeded on a very slow climb (less than 250 FPM) on the 125 degree heading. The class B of mia extends 20 NM to the southeast and begins at 5000 ft over tmb. However, the class B drops to 3000 ft just 3 NM southeast of tmb. Because of the peculiar shape of the class B, on a 120 degree heading, without clearance, an aircraft must stay below 3000 ft between 3 NM and 11 NM of tmb. Then one is completely out of the class B between 11.1 NM until 17 NM. For a brief instant, between 17 NM and 18 NM on the 120 degree heading from tmb, the class B is again active. Due to this odd shaped class B, I and my copilot decided on a 125 degree heading from tmb and to remain below 3000 ft for at least 10 NM from tmb on the 125 degree heading. Our aircraft was under CTAF control until 4-5 NM southwest of tmb, then we were switched to FSS to activate our VFR plan. FSS then told us a frequency to contact ZMA. This was the wrong frequency and it took several mins to contact them and get an alternate working frequency. While being provided flight following by ZMA, we were told that approach thought that we had violated the southeast corner of their class B. At that time we were at approximately 4000 ft and approximately 23.5 NM from mia. This was confirmed by ZMA at our request. Our onboard GPS was reprogrammed from our destination to mia and it gave us 25 NM. I do not believe that our aircraft violated the class B airspace of mia. However, 5 factors may have contributed to our coming closer than planned to that airspace. It is possible that mia approach mistook the C210 for our aircraft. However, if there was in fact an incursion into the mia class B, these were contributing factors: 1) we extended our takeoff heading at 090 degrees and climb in order to allow the faster C210 to overtake us to the right before its climb toward the dominican republic. This 2-3 NM extra distance on the 090 degree prior to turning to 125 degrees may have put us closer to mia than originally planned. 2) the OAT at tmb at takeoff time was 78 degrees F and the aircraft was climbing extremely slowly due to the temperature level and near gross (1905 pounds) condition. The best climb rate obtainable with the aircraft on this day was approximately 250-380 FPM. Because of this poor performance, we did not see a problem with maintaining less than 3000 ft within 10 NM of tmb. 3) we had both LORAN and GPS on board. The LORAN was set to tmb to give us distance from our departure airport. The GPS was set to our destination airport and on the runway at tmb showed 278 NM to go. I had estimated that on a 125 degree heading I would be outside of class B when it counted down to 268 NM (ie, 10 NM southeast of tmb). 4) the LORAN and GPS were thus set to different end points and I could not use them easily to verify accuracy of the distances shown. Neither the LORAN nor the GPS were set to mia which would have provided a better estimate for class B clearance. 5) during our climb from tmb, while attempting to contact ZMA first with the wrong frequency from FSS, then recontacting FSS to get the correct frequency, it might have been possible for the aircraft to have been climbing at a rate greater than 380 FPM and therefore, we may have inadvertently crossed the 3000 ft lower level of the mia class B before 10 NM out on the 125 degree heading. At any rate, I believe that if our aircraft violated the mia class B, we did so inadvertently and in fact should have: 1) flown a more southerly heading to be extra sure to be out of it. 2) maintained an altitude of less than or equal to 3000 ft until well past sands key or elliot key which were better ground references than the LORAN and GPS as we programmed them. And 3) we could easily have asked for clearance from mia approach. Traffic was light, WX was clear and clearance would have probably been granted. In final review, possible distraction during initial climb, over reliance on GPS and LORAN readouts, poor or lack of selection of good visual ground references to remain clear of mia class B and lack of familiarity with the mia class B contributed to the possible incursion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he is quite sure the aircraft tracked as entering the class B must have been the C210 which departed just after he did. The cessna passed him quite quickly and then he was allowed on course which was a turn more southward to avoid the class B airspace. His C175 with a cruise propeller does not climb well and he believes they were below 3000 ft at the 20 mi mark. In fact, when conversing with center, they indicated the aircraft was 23 1/2 mi from miami which put them outside the class B. At the most they would have barely clipped the corner of the airspace as shown on his graphic. Reporter states it is rather ironic that this happened because he and passenger are both flight instructors and had been discussing the problem of a student who had entered the class B after departure recently. They were very aware of the need to monitor their flight path to avoid it. The C210 crew had apparently been unable to purchase IFR charts and was allowed to make copies of the necessary charts needed to get them to the dominican republic. These were necessary as it was late in the day and they could not fly VFR after sunset in that area. There has been no follow-up by FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C175 ON DEP IS REQUESTED TO FLY RWY HDG TO ALLOW A FASTER C210 TO PASS BEFORE TURNING ON COURSE. ALLEGEDLY ACFT ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THIS WAS A CONTINUATION OF A VFR FLT FROM NEW YORK STATE TO THE CARIBBEAN IN A LIGHT SINGLE ENG ACFT. AFTER A STOPOVER IN TAMIAMI, FL, ACFT DEPARTED TMB FROM RWY 9R. RWY HDG WAS MAINTAINED FOR APPROX 2.5 NM TO ALLOW A FASTER C210 THAT HAD DEPARTED THE SAME RWY TO PASS US TO THE R BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. AFTER VISUALLY OBSERVING THE C210 OVERTAKE US TO THE R, WE SAW HIM CLB RAPIDLY AND TURN TO THE L ON A HDG OF APPROX 115- 120 DEGS. OUR ACFT THEN TURNED TO A HDG OF 125 DEGS AND USING ONBOARD VOR/GPS AND LORAN, OUR ACFT PROCEEDED ON A VERY SLOW CLB (LESS THAN 250 FPM) ON THE 125 DEG HDG. THE CLASS B OF MIA EXTENDS 20 NM TO THE SE AND BEGINS AT 5000 FT OVER TMB. HOWEVER, THE CLASS B DROPS TO 3000 FT JUST 3 NM SE OF TMB. BECAUSE OF THE PECULIAR SHAPE OF THE CLASS B, ON A 120 DEG HDG, WITHOUT CLRNC, AN ACFT MUST STAY BELOW 3000 FT BTWN 3 NM AND 11 NM OF TMB. THEN ONE IS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE CLASS B BTWN 11.1 NM UNTIL 17 NM. FOR A BRIEF INSTANT, BTWN 17 NM AND 18 NM ON THE 120 DEG HDG FROM TMB, THE CLASS B IS AGAIN ACTIVE. DUE TO THIS ODD SHAPED CLASS B, I AND MY COPLT DECIDED ON A 125 DEG HDG FROM TMB AND TO REMAIN BELOW 3000 FT FOR AT LEAST 10 NM FROM TMB ON THE 125 DEG HDG. OUR ACFT WAS UNDER CTAF CTL UNTIL 4-5 NM SW OF TMB, THEN WE WERE SWITCHED TO FSS TO ACTIVATE OUR VFR PLAN. FSS THEN TOLD US A FREQ TO CONTACT ZMA. THIS WAS THE WRONG FREQ AND IT TOOK SEVERAL MINS TO CONTACT THEM AND GET AN ALTERNATE WORKING FREQ. WHILE BEING PROVIDED FLT FOLLOWING BY ZMA, WE WERE TOLD THAT APCH THOUGHT THAT WE HAD VIOLATED THE SE CORNER OF THEIR CLASS B. AT THAT TIME WE WERE AT APPROX 4000 FT AND APPROX 23.5 NM FROM MIA. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY ZMA AT OUR REQUEST. OUR ONBOARD GPS WAS REPROGRAMMED FROM OUR DEST TO MIA AND IT GAVE US 25 NM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT OUR ACFT VIOLATED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF MIA. HOWEVER, 5 FACTORS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMING CLOSER THAN PLANNED TO THAT AIRSPACE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MIA APCH MISTOOK THE C210 FOR OUR ACFT. HOWEVER, IF THERE WAS IN FACT AN INCURSION INTO THE MIA CLASS B, THESE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) WE EXTENDED OUR TKOF HDG AT 090 DEGS AND CLB IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE FASTER C210 TO OVERTAKE US TO THE R BEFORE ITS CLB TOWARD THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THIS 2-3 NM EXTRA DISTANCE ON THE 090 DEG PRIOR TO TURNING TO 125 DEGS MAY HAVE PUT US CLOSER TO MIA THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED. 2) THE OAT AT TMB AT TKOF TIME WAS 78 DEGS F AND THE ACFT WAS CLBING EXTREMELY SLOWLY DUE TO THE TEMP LEVEL AND NEAR GROSS (1905 LBS) CONDITION. THE BEST CLB RATE OBTAINABLE WITH THE ACFT ON THIS DAY WAS APPROX 250-380 FPM. BECAUSE OF THIS POOR PERFORMANCE, WE DID NOT SEE A PROB WITH MAINTAINING LESS THAN 3000 FT WITHIN 10 NM OF TMB. 3) WE HAD BOTH LORAN AND GPS ON BOARD. THE LORAN WAS SET TO TMB TO GIVE US DISTANCE FROM OUR DEP ARPT. THE GPS WAS SET TO OUR DEST ARPT AND ON THE RWY AT TMB SHOWED 278 NM TO GO. I HAD ESTIMATED THAT ON A 125 DEG HDG I WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF CLASS B WHEN IT COUNTED DOWN TO 268 NM (IE, 10 NM SE OF TMB). 4) THE LORAN AND GPS WERE THUS SET TO DIFFERENT END POINTS AND I COULD NOT USE THEM EASILY TO VERIFY ACCURACY OF THE DISTANCES SHOWN. NEITHER THE LORAN NOR THE GPS WERE SET TO MIA WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED A BETTER ESTIMATE FOR CLASS B CLRNC. 5) DURING OUR CLB FROM TMB, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ZMA FIRST WITH THE WRONG FREQ FROM FSS, THEN RECONTACTING FSS TO GET THE CORRECT FREQ, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR THE ACFT TO HAVE BEEN CLBING AT A RATE GREATER THAN 380 FPM AND THEREFORE, WE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY CROSSED THE 3000 FT LOWER LEVEL OF THE MIA CLASS B BEFORE 10 NM OUT ON THE 125 DEG HDG. AT ANY RATE, I BELIEVE THAT IF OUR ACFT VIOLATED THE MIA CLASS B, WE DID SO INADVERTENTLY AND IN FACT SHOULD HAVE: 1) FLOWN A MORE SOUTHERLY HDG TO BE EXTRA SURE TO BE OUT OF IT. 2) MAINTAINED AN ALT OF LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 3000 FT UNTIL WELL PAST SANDS KEY OR ELLIOT KEY WHICH WERE BETTER GND REFS THAN THE LORAN AND GPS AS WE PROGRAMMED THEM. AND 3) WE COULD EASILY HAVE ASKED FOR CLRNC FROM MIA APCH. TFC WAS LIGHT, WX WAS CLR AND CLRNC WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN GRANTED. IN FINAL REVIEW, POSSIBLE DISTR DURING INITIAL CLB, OVER RELIANCE ON GPS AND LORAN READOUTS, POOR OR LACK OF SELECTION OF GOOD VISUAL GND REFS TO REMAIN CLR OF MIA CLASS B AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE MIA CLASS B CONTRIBUTED TO THE POSSIBLE INCURSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE IS QUITE SURE THE ACFT TRACKED AS ENTERING THE CLASS B MUST HAVE BEEN THE C210 WHICH DEPARTED JUST AFTER HE DID. THE CESSNA PASSED HIM QUITE QUICKLY AND THEN HE WAS ALLOWED ON COURSE WHICH WAS A TURN MORE SOUTHWARD TO AVOID THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. HIS C175 WITH A CRUISE PROP DOES NOT CLB WELL AND HE BELIEVES THEY WERE BELOW 3000 FT AT THE 20 MI MARK. IN FACT, WHEN CONVERSING WITH CTR, THEY INDICATED THE ACFT WAS 23 1/2 MI FROM MIAMI WHICH PUT THEM OUTSIDE THE CLASS B. AT THE MOST THEY WOULD HAVE BARELY CLIPPED THE CORNER OF THE AIRSPACE AS SHOWN ON HIS GRAPHIC. RPTR STATES IT IS RATHER IRONIC THAT THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE HE AND PAX ARE BOTH FLT INSTRUCTORS AND HAD BEEN DISCUSSING THE PROB OF A STUDENT WHO HAD ENTERED THE CLASS B AFTER DEP RECENTLY. THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF THE NEED TO MONITOR THEIR FLT PATH TO AVOID IT. THE C210 CREW HAD APPARENTLY BEEN UNABLE TO PURCHASE IFR CHARTS AND WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE COPIES OF THE NECESSARY CHARTS NEEDED TO GET THEM TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THESE WERE NECESSARY AS IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY AND THEY COULD NOT FLY VFR AFTER SUNSET IN THAT AREA. THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP BY FAA.

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.