Narrative:

At 25 DME northeast vkz on 058 degree radial, I called mia approach on the charted frequency 124.85 and advised that I was VFR inbound to opf. I was told to contact mia on 128.6 which I did immediately. Approach responded to assign a code and a heading of 290 degrees 'to remain clear of class B airspace.' I followed the assigned heading except to make a 10 degree turn to the right due to cloud coverage. Shortly before I was changed to tower frequency the controller asked if I was aware of the class B airspace, which I was. At that time I looked at the GPS display and saw that I was in class B airspace. The controller only spoke to 1 other aircraft during the 5 mins that I was on his frequency, so I don't think there was a problem with another plane, but I was in his airspace without having been cleared. I was shocked when I realized that I had broken an far. I felt that I had followed good procedures but with the frequency change I guess I didn't call soon enough. After telling a controller that I am inbound to an airport in class B airspace I expected him to either tell me to remain clear or give me a clearance. I expected to receive a clearance in this case and when he just gave instructions, I took the bait. I should have known better than taking FAA at face value. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the GPS was installed at time of purchase. It was updated in the spring and information is current. He was approaching over water and did not want to let down too soon, being single engine. His intent was to get a clearance to let down through the class B airspace to destination airport. Events occurred more rapidly than expected since there was 20 KT tailwind. He just got into the class B airspace sooner than planned. WX became MVFR as he crossed over land and he had to start avoiding clouds at about the same time he was contacting approach. This distraction diverted his attention from the GPS airspace indications. His group is looking toward upgrading the GPS to be used for IFR and he feels he will then use it to a greater extent. The training materials provided by the manufacturer are good but very technical and not easy to learn from. What is needed is a basic, simple approach to its use. The most beneficial portion is a quick reference sheet which helps clarify some of the basics.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA24 COMING FROM THE BAHAMAS INTO MIA ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AT 25 DME NE VKZ ON 058 DEG RADIAL, I CALLED MIA APCH ON THE CHARTED FREQ 124.85 AND ADVISED THAT I WAS VFR INBOUND TO OPF. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT MIA ON 128.6 WHICH I DID IMMEDIATELY. APCH RESPONDED TO ASSIGN A CODE AND A HDG OF 290 DEGS 'TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.' I FOLLOWED THE ASSIGNED HDG EXCEPT TO MAKE A 10 DEG TURN TO THE R DUE TO CLOUD COVERAGE. SHORTLY BEFORE I WAS CHANGED TO TWR FREQ THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS AWARE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, WHICH I WAS. AT THAT TIME I LOOKED AT THE GPS DISPLAY AND SAW THAT I WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CTLR ONLY SPOKE TO 1 OTHER ACFT DURING THE 5 MINS THAT I WAS ON HIS FREQ, SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A PROB WITH ANOTHER PLANE, BUT I WAS IN HIS AIRSPACE WITHOUT HAVING BEEN CLRED. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I REALIZED THAT I HAD BROKEN AN FAR. I FELT THAT I HAD FOLLOWED GOOD PROCS BUT WITH THE FREQ CHANGE I GUESS I DIDN'T CALL SOON ENOUGH. AFTER TELLING A CTLR THAT I AM INBOUND TO AN ARPT IN CLASS B AIRSPACE I EXPECTED HIM TO EITHER TELL ME TO REMAIN CLR OR GIVE ME A CLRNC. I EXPECTED TO RECEIVE A CLRNC IN THIS CASE AND WHEN HE JUST GAVE INSTRUCTIONS, I TOOK THE BAIT. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TAKING FAA AT FACE VALUE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE GPS WAS INSTALLED AT TIME OF PURCHASE. IT WAS UPDATED IN THE SPRING AND INFO IS CURRENT. HE WAS APCHING OVER WATER AND DID NOT WANT TO LET DOWN TOO SOON, BEING SINGLE ENG. HIS INTENT WAS TO GET A CLRNC TO LET DOWN THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TO DEST ARPT. EVENTS OCCURRED MORE RAPIDLY THAN EXPECTED SINCE THERE WAS 20 KT TAILWIND. HE JUST GOT INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE SOONER THAN PLANNED. WX BECAME MVFR AS HE CROSSED OVER LAND AND HE HAD TO START AVOIDING CLOUDS AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME HE WAS CONTACTING APCH. THIS DISTR DIVERTED HIS ATTN FROM THE GPS AIRSPACE INDICATIONS. HIS GROUP IS LOOKING TOWARD UPGRADING THE GPS TO BE USED FOR IFR AND HE FEELS HE WILL THEN USE IT TO A GREATER EXTENT. THE TRAINING MATERIALS PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER ARE GOOD BUT VERY TECHNICAL AND NOT EASY TO LEARN FROM. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A BASIC, SIMPLE APCH TO ITS USE. THE MOST BENEFICIAL PORTION IS A QUICK REF SHEET WHICH HELPS CLARIFY SOME OF THE BASICS.

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.