Pilot of small aircraft attempting to contact approach control enters class B airspace without clear...

Attributes
ACN	386180
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mmu
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 6
ASRS Report	386180
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing sullivan county airport, ny, for destination trenton mercer county airport, the flight was going as planned except for the fact that I was having trouble reaching a new york approach controller. On my first attempt to reach a controller, no answer was received. I then contacted wilkes-barre scranton approach and was given a new frequency to try -- this frequency also was not working. I finally reached a controller but only after reaching 2 other controllers who told me that I was not in their area of control. This process took about 20 mins to unfold. When I finally did reach someone, I was told that I was just inside the class B airspace west of morristown airport and was politely given a vector out of it without incident. I believe that the wind had made a significant change therefore causing me to drift momentarily into new york's airspace. Low visibility due to haze and the late afternoon sun somewhat diminished my ability to properly distinguish real landmarks from false ones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT APCH CTL ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING SULLIVAN COUNTY ARPT, NY, FOR DEST TRENTON MERCER COUNTY ARPT, THE FLT WAS GOING AS PLANNED EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I WAS HAVING TROUBLE REACHING A NEW YORK APCH CTLR. ON MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO REACH A CTLR, NO ANSWER WAS RECEIVED. I THEN CONTACTED WILKES-BARRE SCRANTON APCH AND WAS GIVEN A NEW FREQ TO TRY -- THIS FREQ ALSO WAS NOT WORKING. I FINALLY REACHED A CTLR BUT ONLY AFTER REACHING 2 OTHER CTLRS WHO TOLD ME THAT I WAS NOT IN THEIR AREA OF CTL. THIS PROCESS TOOK ABOUT 20 MINS TO UNFOLD. WHEN I FINALLY DID REACH SOMEONE, I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS JUST INSIDE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE W OF MORRISTOWN ARPT AND WAS POLITELY GIVEN A VECTOR OUT OF IT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE WIND HAD MADE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THEREFORE CAUSING ME TO DRIFT MOMENTARILY INTO NEW YORK'S AIRSPACE. LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO HAZE AND THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED MY ABILITY TO PROPERLY DISTINGUISH REAL LANDMARKS FROM FALSE ONES.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft attempting to contact approach control enters class B airspace without clearance.