Pilot of C182 inadvertently enters class B airspace believing the airport sighted was a different, n...

Attributes
ACN	409140
Time
Date	199807
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent 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 : 600 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	409140
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight following assigned by ATC. Approached south along highway 79 to bennett and front range airport. Conditions over den haze with light cloud layer +/-10000 ft. Passenger pointed out sighting runway. Pilot announced to ATC controller that bennett and front range were sighted. Transponder changed to VFR and radio announcement made at +/-12 mi that approach to ftg was in progress. Unicom announced runway 26 active. Pilot aligned with runway 26 and noticed that ADF signals were to south. At +/-10 mi denver international tower identify became identifiable. Turned immediately to south and set up for right base to front range runway 26. The event ended without further problems, except the pilot was most embarrassed. Had earlier requested flight following and radar vectoring to front range. ATC handed off the pilot when the sighting was mistakenly made without confirming a radar fix. Since this was a local rental plane with a pilot only occasionally in class B, it was probably assumed pilot was familiar with the area. DME not working.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 INADVERTENTLY ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE BELIEVING THE ARPT SIGHTED WAS A DIFFERENT, NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: FLT FOLLOWING ASSIGNED BY ATC. APCHED S ALONG HWY 79 TO BENNETT AND FRONT RANGE ARPT. CONDITIONS OVER DEN HAZE WITH LIGHT CLOUD LAYER +/-10000 FT. PAX POINTED OUT SIGHTING RWY. PLT ANNOUNCED TO ATC CTLR THAT BENNETT AND FRONT RANGE WERE SIGHTED. XPONDER CHANGED TO VFR AND RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT MADE AT +/-12 MI THAT APCH TO FTG WAS IN PROGRESS. UNICOM ANNOUNCED RWY 26 ACTIVE. PLT ALIGNED WITH RWY 26 AND NOTICED THAT ADF SIGNALS WERE TO S. AT +/-10 MI DENVER INTL TWR IDENT BECAME IDENTIFIABLE. TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO S AND SET UP FOR R BASE TO FRONT RANGE RWY 26. THE EVENT ENDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS, EXCEPT THE PLT WAS MOST EMBARRASSED. HAD EARLIER REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND RADAR VECTORING TO FRONT RANGE. ATC HANDED OFF THE PLT WHEN THE SIGHTING WAS MISTAKENLY MADE WITHOUT CONFIRMING A RADAR FIX. SINCE THIS WAS A LCL RENTAL PLANE WITH A PLT ONLY OCCASIONALLY IN CLASS B, IT WAS PROBABLY ASSUMED PLT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. DME NOT WORKING.

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 C182 inadvertently enters class B airspace believing the airport sighted was a different, non tower airport.