Narrative:

At approximately XA30 hours, jul/xx/97, I was receiving instruction in a duchess BE76 to the west of mci. The instructional flight originated from mkc. The instructor usually conducts his training flts to the east, where class B airspace could be more quickly cleared. I had insisted on flying to the west, primarily because of plans to buy fuel at flv. We flew to approximately 3 mi east of lwc, to make sure we were clear of class B airspace, and turned north. We were not in contact with ATC and were squawking 1200. I suggested that we tune in the localizer frequency from runway 19R at mci on the DME, to help in keeping clear of class B airspace. The instructor set the frequency, but was unable to receive the signal. I said we would pick up the signal as we flew north, and I thought he had left the DME tuned to the mci localizer. It turned out he had changed to the ris VOR frequency. About 5-10 mins after we turned north, the instructor asked me, 'is leavenworth under class B?' I replied that it was. He said he thought we had inadvertently entered class B airspace and should turn west immediately. I turned, glanced at the DME, and saw that it read 23 and a fraction mi. I said that we must be clear, as the outer limit of the class B is 20 NM from the center of mci. I then found the DME was tuned to ris VOR. I quickly looked at the local landmarks. Leavenworth looked to be about 7-8 mi to the northeast. I thought we might be close to an incursion, but I was not sure. There was no opportunity to identify the radial we were on from any NAVAID. The instructor said he was sure we were well within class B at our location and altitude. In retrospect, it is clear we had been drifted east by the wind as I had maintained a northerly heading. Clearly, I could and should have paid more attention to navigation. I deferred excessively to a CFI with whom I had not flown a great deal. I was not familiar with his methods or abilities. We did not function well as a team in this instance. I was most familiar with the area where we were conducting this flight, but I was focused mostly inside the cockpit. I should have divided my attention more between my training tasks and the navigation of the airplane and other basic flying tasks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PF WITH INSTRUCTOR FAILS TO MONITOR POS AND ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 HRS, JUL/XX/97, I WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN A DUCHESS BE76 TO THE W OF MCI. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLT ORIGINATED FROM MKC. THE INSTRUCTOR USUALLY CONDUCTS HIS TRAINING FLTS TO THE E, WHERE CLASS B AIRSPACE COULD BE MORE QUICKLY CLRED. I HAD INSISTED ON FLYING TO THE W, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF PLANS TO BUY FUEL AT FLV. WE FLEW TO APPROX 3 MI E OF LWC, TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND TURNED N. WE WERE NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC AND WERE SQUAWKING 1200. I SUGGESTED THAT WE TUNE IN THE LOC FREQ FROM RWY 19R AT MCI ON THE DME, TO HELP IN KEEPING CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE INSTRUCTOR SET THE FREQ, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE THE SIGNAL. I SAID WE WOULD PICK UP THE SIGNAL AS WE FLEW N, AND I THOUGHT HE HAD LEFT THE DME TUNED TO THE MCI LOC. IT TURNED OUT HE HAD CHANGED TO THE RIS VOR FREQ. ABOUT 5-10 MINS AFTER WE TURNED N, THE INSTRUCTOR ASKED ME, 'IS LEAVENWORTH UNDER CLASS B?' I REPLIED THAT IT WAS. HE SAID HE THOUGHT WE HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE AND SHOULD TURN W IMMEDIATELY. I TURNED, GLANCED AT THE DME, AND SAW THAT IT READ 23 AND A FRACTION MI. I SAID THAT WE MUST BE CLR, AS THE OUTER LIMIT OF THE CLASS B IS 20 NM FROM THE CTR OF MCI. I THEN FOUND THE DME WAS TUNED TO RIS VOR. I QUICKLY LOOKED AT THE LCL LANDMARKS. LEAVENWORTH LOOKED TO BE ABOUT 7-8 MI TO THE NE. I THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE CLOSE TO AN INCURSION, BUT I WAS NOT SURE. THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO IDENT THE RADIAL WE WERE ON FROM ANY NAVAID. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE WAS SURE WE WERE WELL WITHIN CLASS B AT OUR LOCATION AND ALT. IN RETROSPECT, IT IS CLR WE HAD BEEN DRIFTED E BY THE WIND AS I HAD MAINTAINED A NORTHERLY HEADING. CLRLY, I COULD AND SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO NAV. I DEFERRED EXCESSIVELY TO A CFI WITH WHOM I HAD NOT FLOWN A GREAT DEAL. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIS METHODS OR ABILITIES. WE DID NOT FUNCTION WELL AS A TEAM IN THIS INSTANCE. I WAS MOST FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA WHERE WE WERE CONDUCTING THIS FLT, BUT I WAS FOCUSED MOSTLY INSIDE THE COCKPIT. I SHOULD HAVE DIVIDED MY ATTN MORE BTWN MY TRAINING TASKS AND THE NAV OF THE AIRPLANE AND OTHER BASIC FLYING TASKS.

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.