Narrative:

I took off under VFR from burke lakefront airport, runway 24L. Tower cleared me for a right turnout after takeoff because I advised I was VFR wbound. The floor of the cle class B airspace in that area is 1900 ft MSL and I intended to level off at 1800 ft. Using a hand-held VFR GPS (garmin), I planned to fly around the inner core until I was southwest of cle and could proceed direct to luk airport. As reported and forecasted, there was turbulence at the low altitudes and I discovered I had climbed above the 1900 ft floor and was at 2100 ft MSL. I believe it was for a very brief period -- probably considerably less than 1 min -- and I immediately descended back to 1800 ft. I think the following contributed to this event: 1) fatigue -- I had been in conferences for 3 days and had slept poorly for several nights. 2) insufficient attention -- situational awareness in a critical phase of flight. 3) complexity of the airspace system. 4) turbulent WX and thermal activity. 5) lack of effective trim (pitch trim) technique. I did not insure that the airplane was properly trimmed for level flight. 6) being in too much of a hurry in the before takeoff check. I should have 'rebriefed' myself on climb and heading restrs or should have contacted cle departure control for a clearance through the airspace. As an FAA safety program manager, I have taught and counseled pilots on use of and respect for the airspace. I'm dismayed and embarrassed that 'it happened' to me. Maybe I'll be more effective!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FAA SAFETY PROGRAM MGR FLIES INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN HIS ACFT OVERSHOOTS THE PLANNED LEVELOFF ALT 8 MI N OF CLE, OH.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF UNDER VFR FROM BURKE LAKEFRONT ARPT, RWY 24L. TWR CLRED ME FOR A R TURNOUT AFTER TKOF BECAUSE I ADVISED I WAS VFR WBOUND. THE FLOOR OF THE CLE CLASS B AIRSPACE IN THAT AREA IS 1900 FT MSL AND I INTENDED TO LEVEL OFF AT 1800 FT. USING A HAND-HELD VFR GPS (GARMIN), I PLANNED TO FLY AROUND THE INNER CORE UNTIL I WAS SW OF CLE AND COULD PROCEED DIRECT TO LUK ARPT. AS RPTED AND FORECASTED, THERE WAS TURB AT THE LOW ALTS AND I DISCOVERED I HAD CLBED ABOVE THE 1900 FT FLOOR AND WAS AT 2100 FT MSL. I BELIEVE IT WAS FOR A VERY BRIEF PERIOD -- PROBABLY CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN 1 MIN -- AND I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 1800 FT. I THINK THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: 1) FATIGUE -- I HAD BEEN IN CONFERENCES FOR 3 DAYS AND HAD SLEPT POORLY FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS. 2) INSUFFICIENT ATTN -- SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IN A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. 3) COMPLEXITY OF THE AIRSPACE SYS. 4) TURBULENT WX AND THERMAL ACTIVITY. 5) LACK OF EFFECTIVE TRIM (PITCH TRIM) TECHNIQUE. I DID NOT INSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS PROPERLY TRIMMED FOR LEVEL FLT. 6) BEING IN TOO MUCH OF A HURRY IN THE BEFORE TKOF CHK. I SHOULD HAVE 'REBRIEFED' MYSELF ON CLB AND HDG RESTRS OR SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED CLE DEP CTL FOR A CLRNC THROUGH THE AIRSPACE. AS AN FAA SAFETY PROGRAM MGR, I HAVE TAUGHT AND COUNSELED PLTS ON USE OF AND RESPECT FOR THE AIRSPACE. I'M DISMAYED AND EMBARRASSED THAT 'IT HAPPENED' TO ME. MAYBE I'LL BE MORE EFFECTIVE!

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.