Narrative:

This was a commercial photo flight out of wings field, PA (N67), with a professional photographer who wanted to photograph properties in ambler, PA, phoenixville, PA, and philadelphia, PA, at altitudes 1000 ft and up AGL. After the first 2 places were completed, I called phl approach 25 NM from the northwest to indicate our intention to photograph temple university hospital in northeast philadelphia. I estimated it to be 20 NM from phl between a 70/15 and 70/30 altitude zone on the philadelphia VFR terminal area chart. There was no initial reply so I called again in approximately 2 mins and received instructions to standby. We were at 2000 ft MSL in airspace which I perceived to be prohibited by a 1500 ft floor and 3000 ft ceiling. However, phl approach called and said that we were in class B airspace without a clearance. I stated my mission to photograph the hospital and we were given a clearance to 3000 ft with a discreet transponder squawk. Nothing further was said about any violation and we completed our work in about 10 mins and returned to wings field after returning to the normal GA transponder frequency. Upon our return, I checked the philadelphia terminal area chart closely and concluded that at 2000 ft MSL we were above the zone which required being below 1500 ft to be clear of class B airspace. Contributing factors involved my preoccupation with circling the hospital to give my customer the needed positioning for his camera shots, which meant that we were passing between zones where ceiling limitation changed. I was not able to judge precisely where these boundaries were delineated. In the future, such a flight should be conducted with DME capability to stay within the proper NM radius. I feel that maximum cooperation with the controller and staying within his clearance instructions after contact made the flight safe and under control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHOTO SHOOT NEAR PHL CLASS B ENDS UP IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. TRACON GIVES CLRNC TO OPERATE.

Narrative: THIS WAS A COMMERCIAL PHOTO FLT OUT OF WINGS FIELD, PA (N67), WITH A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER WHO WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH PROPERTIES IN AMBLER, PA, PHOENIXVILLE, PA, AND PHILADELPHIA, PA, AT ALTS 1000 FT AND UP AGL. AFTER THE FIRST 2 PLACES WERE COMPLETED, I CALLED PHL APCH 25 NM FROM THE NW TO INDICATE OUR INTENTION TO PHOTOGRAPH TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN NE PHILADELPHIA. I ESTIMATED IT TO BE 20 NM FROM PHL BTWN A 70/15 AND 70/30 ALT ZONE ON THE PHILADELPHIA VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART. THERE WAS NO INITIAL REPLY SO I CALLED AGAIN IN APPROX 2 MINS AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO STANDBY. WE WERE AT 2000 FT MSL IN AIRSPACE WHICH I PERCEIVED TO BE PROHIBITED BY A 1500 FT FLOOR AND 3000 FT CEILING. HOWEVER, PHL APCH CALLED AND SAID THAT WE WERE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. I STATED MY MISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH THE HOSPITAL AND WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 3000 FT WITH A DISCREET XPONDER SQUAWK. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID ABOUT ANY VIOLATION AND WE COMPLETED OUR WORK IN ABOUT 10 MINS AND RETURNED TO WINGS FIELD AFTER RETURNING TO THE NORMAL GA XPONDER FREQ. UPON OUR RETURN, I CHKED THE PHILADELPHIA TERMINAL AREA CHART CLOSELY AND CONCLUDED THAT AT 2000 FT MSL WE WERE ABOVE THE ZONE WHICH REQUIRED BEING BELOW 1500 FT TO BE CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INVOLVED MY PREOCCUPATION WITH CIRCLING THE HOSPITAL TO GIVE MY CUSTOMER THE NEEDED POSITIONING FOR HIS CAMERA SHOTS, WHICH MEANT THAT WE WERE PASSING BTWN ZONES WHERE CEILING LIMITATION CHANGED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO JUDGE PRECISELY WHERE THESE BOUNDARIES WERE DELINEATED. IN THE FUTURE, SUCH A FLT SHOULD BE CONDUCTED WITH DME CAPABILITY TO STAY WITHIN THE PROPER NM RADIUS. I FEEL THAT MAX COOPERATION WITH THE CTLR AND STAYING WITHIN HIS CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS AFTER CONTACT MADE THE FLT SAFE AND UNDER CTL.

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.