Pilot reporter assumed because he received airport information from approach controller that it cleared him to the airport. Approach controller was busy and told reporter to call back in 5 mins. Reporter continued descent and penetrated class B airspace.

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Attributes
ACN	391960
Time
Date	199801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	391960
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a descending approach from over mountains 30 KM east of sdl, due to ambiguous controller technique/phraseology, I allegedly penetrated class B. Upon first call, I was given landing and airport information for destination. Upon second call I was told to call back in 5 mins. Approach control was overloaded and the controller seemed stressed. The controllers changed shifts. I was not told to 'stay clear of class B' and took airport information for a clearance. The logical action was to maintain original course and rate of descent and to not make unusual or unpredictable maneuvers while in an ambiguous situation. It was upon landing, when asked to call approach control, that I was informed I had entered class B without clearance. I am concerned that if a situation like this should happen to be addressed with a violation, it might encourage pilots to not report to 'control' in order to avoid a violation. Ie, if I hadn't continued to radio to approach control they wouldn't know who/which VFR plane to have telephone them for information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTR ASSUMED BECAUSE HE RECEIVED ARPT INFO FROM APCH CTLR THAT IT CLRED HIM TO THE ARPT. APCH CTLR WAS BUSY AND TOLD RPTR TO CALL BACK IN 5 MINS. RPTR CONTINUED DSCNT AND PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A DSNDING APCH FROM OVER MOUNTAINS 30 KM E OF SDL, DUE TO AMBIGUOUS CTLR TECHNIQUE/PHRASEOLOGY, I ALLEGEDLY PENETRATED CLASS B. UPON FIRST CALL, I WAS GIVEN LNDG AND ARPT INFO FOR DEST. UPON SECOND CALL I WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK IN 5 MINS. APCH CTL WAS OVERLOADED AND THE CTLR SEEMED STRESSED. THE CTLRS CHANGED SHIFTS. I WAS NOT TOLD TO 'STAY CLR OF CLASS B' AND TOOK ARPT INFO FOR A CLRNC. THE LOGICAL ACTION WAS TO MAINTAIN ORIGINAL COURSE AND RATE OF DSCNT AND TO NOT MAKE UNUSUAL OR UNPREDICTABLE MANEUVERS WHILE IN AN AMBIGUOUS SIT. IT WAS UPON LNDG, WHEN ASKED TO CALL APCH CTL, THAT I WAS INFORMED I HAD ENTERED CLASS B WITHOUT CLRNC. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF A SIT LIKE THIS SHOULD HAPPEN TO BE ADDRESSED WITH A VIOLATION, IT MIGHT ENCOURAGE PLTS TO NOT RPT TO 'CTL' IN ORDER TO AVOID A VIOLATION. IE, IF I HADN'T CONTINUED TO RADIO TO APCH CTL THEY WOULDN'T KNOW WHO/WHICH VFR PLANE TO HAVE TELEPHONE THEM FOR INFO.

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.