Pilot of C152 on night flight enters class B airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	395740
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11621 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	395740
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed at night with another pilot in a C152 to show him some of the local rtes and airspace. My original intent was to fly up the VFR corridor between dca and iad at 1400 ft MSL which would keep me clear of both class B airspace structures at dca and iad. While navigating via various groups of city lights and hwys in the metropolitan area that I thought would guarantee our being in the VFR corridor, I was most surprised when the other pilot asked what airport we were passing. I then noticed runway 1L/19R at iad off the right wing. We estimated our distance from iad at about 3-4 mi, well within the 7 mi ring around iad that is restr from ground level without being in contact with ATC. At the time I was not talking with any ATC facility, but I am quite sure the incident was noticed by approach control and the tower controller at iad. We immediately exited the class B airspace as quickly as possible with (seemingly) no further consequences other than ruffled pride, irritation at my lack of situational awareness and disgust over any problem I may have caused for the ATC facility at iad. I know the incident resulted from my overly complacent attitude of being (supposedly) completely conversant with the airspace limitations around the washington, dc, area. I should have confirmed my position with the navaids at my disposal (mainly VOR radials) to establish my position beyond any doubt. Complicating the matter was my involvement in showing the other pilot the area at night to try to help him get oriented. A rapidly precessing directional gyro that was about 40 degrees off the proper compass heading when I realized we were in iad's airspace added to the problem. This incident has humbled me to not take anything regarding aircraft operation for granted nor to become complacent about my own plting abilities. Fly the airplane first -- then take care of anything else that might seem to be of importance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C152 ON NIGHT FLT ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED AT NIGHT WITH ANOTHER PLT IN A C152 TO SHOW HIM SOME OF THE LCL RTES AND AIRSPACE. MY ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO FLY UP THE VFR CORRIDOR BTWN DCA AND IAD AT 1400 FT MSL WHICH WOULD KEEP ME CLR OF BOTH CLASS B AIRSPACE STRUCTURES AT DCA AND IAD. WHILE NAVING VIA VARIOUS GROUPS OF CITY LIGHTS AND HWYS IN THE METRO AREA THAT I THOUGHT WOULD GUARANTEE OUR BEING IN THE VFR CORRIDOR, I WAS MOST SURPRISED WHEN THE OTHER PLT ASKED WHAT ARPT WE WERE PASSING. I THEN NOTICED RWY 1L/19R AT IAD OFF THE R WING. WE ESTIMATED OUR DISTANCE FROM IAD AT ABOUT 3-4 MI, WELL WITHIN THE 7 MI RING AROUND IAD THAT IS RESTR FROM GND LEVEL WITHOUT BEING IN CONTACT WITH ATC. AT THE TIME I WAS NOT TALKING WITH ANY ATC FACILITY, BUT I AM QUITE SURE THE INCIDENT WAS NOTICED BY APCH CTL AND THE TWR CTLR AT IAD. WE IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH (SEEMINGLY) NO FURTHER CONSEQUENCES OTHER THAN RUFFLED PRIDE, IRRITATION AT MY LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND DISGUST OVER ANY PROB I MAY HAVE CAUSED FOR THE ATC FACILITY AT IAD. I KNOW THE INCIDENT RESULTED FROM MY OVERLY COMPLACENT ATTITUDE OF BEING (SUPPOSEDLY) COMPLETELY CONVERSANT WITH THE AIRSPACE LIMITATIONS AROUND THE WASHINGTON, DC, AREA. I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED MY POS WITH THE NAVAIDS AT MY DISPOSAL (MAINLY VOR RADIALS) TO ESTABLISH MY POS BEYOND ANY DOUBT. COMPLICATING THE MATTER WAS MY INVOLVEMENT IN SHOWING THE OTHER PLT THE AREA AT NIGHT TO TRY TO HELP HIM GET ORIENTED. A RAPIDLY PRECESSING DIRECTIONAL GYRO THAT WAS ABOUT 40 DEGS OFF THE PROPER COMPASS HDG WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE IN IAD'S AIRSPACE ADDED TO THE PROB. THIS INCIDENT HAS HUMBLED ME TO NOT TAKE ANYTHING REGARDING ACFT OP FOR GRANTED NOR TO BECOME COMPLACENT ABOUT MY OWN PLTING ABILITIES. FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST -- THEN TAKE CARE OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT SEEM TO BE OF IMPORTANCE.

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.