A private pilot flying a C182 from dca to mdw becomes disoriented and inadvertently enters class B airspace at pit without proper clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	440031
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 141 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	440031
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot monitored WX conditions for 24 hours before departure and obtained several briefings. VFR flight plan opened from dca to mdw. No IFR expected en route. Pilot was tracking LORAN and was followed on radar until zle gave 1200 squawk. WX was deteriorating and LORAN indicated unexpected data. Ceiling and visibility was getting lower, rain and turbulence started. Pilot asked passenger to hold the map and locate VOR frequency to xchk LORAN data. VOR needle was bouncing to indicate position from east to southeast of belair VOR. Pilot decided to contact zle to verify position. Long wait made pilot decide to circle until further information from ATC. ATC from cleveland gave pittsburgh approach frequency. Pittsburgh gave a transponder code and vector to nearest airport per request of pilot. Pilot landed in allegheny before IFR conditions prevailed and was asked to contact pittsburgh approach by phone. Class B incursion was explained to pilot. Sooner back up of LORAN and circling decision would have avoided pilot disorientation. Bad WX was a contributing factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT FLYING A C182 FROM DCA TO MDW BECOMES DISORIENTED AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE AT PIT WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: PLT MONITORED WX CONDITIONS FOR 24 HRS BEFORE DEP AND OBTAINED SEVERAL BRIEFINGS. VFR FLT PLAN OPENED FROM DCA TO MDW. NO IFR EXPECTED ENRTE. PLT WAS TRACKING LORAN AND WAS FOLLOWED ON RADAR UNTIL ZLE GAVE 1200 SQUAWK. WX WAS DETERIORATING AND LORAN INDICATED UNEXPECTED DATA. CEILING AND VISIBILITY WAS GETTING LOWER, RAIN AND TURB STARTED. PLT ASKED PAX TO HOLD THE MAP AND LOCATE VOR FREQ TO XCHK LORAN DATA. VOR NEEDLE WAS BOUNCING TO INDICATE POS FROM E TO SE OF BELAIR VOR. PLT DECIDED TO CONTACT ZLE TO VERIFY POS. LONG WAIT MADE PLT DECIDE TO CIRCLE UNTIL FURTHER INFO FROM ATC. ATC FROM CLEVELAND GAVE PITTSBURGH APCH FREQ. PITTSBURGH GAVE A XPONDER CODE AND VECTOR TO NEAREST ARPT PER REQUEST OF PLT. PLT LANDED IN ALLEGHENY BEFORE IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WAS ASKED TO CONTACT PITTSBURGH APCH BY PHONE. CLASS B INCURSION WAS EXPLAINED TO PLT. SOONER BACK UP OF LORAN AND CIRCLING DECISION WOULD HAVE AVOIDED PLT DISORIENTATION. BAD WX WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.