A C182 pilot entered dca's class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	491590
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : aml.vor
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 135
ASRS Report	491590
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	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:

Upon leaving our mission base at hef to return to our home base gai, we tried to contact dulles approach for clearance through the class B airspace. He was extremely busy and said to stay clear of the class B airspace and remain VFR. We had been climbing at that point, expecting clearance. We immediately descended to 1200 ft to stay clear (below) the class B airspace, and used the DME from armel to stay approximately 8 mi away. The controller called back a few mins later for our request and, at that time, he said we were in class B airspace under the approach path to runway 19R and told us to make an immediate right turn to 090 degrees. The DME at that time showed 7.3 mi, so I don't believe we were in class B airspace, but we would have been very soon if we didn't turn. Next time we will review the terminal area chart more before takeoff. It would help if the tower at hef could coordinate with dulles approach ahead of time so that there is no delay in finding out if entrance into the class B airspace is going to be allowed. If not, we could have made alternate plans before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PLT ENTERED DCA'S CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: UPON LEAVING OUR MISSION BASE AT HEF TO RETURN TO OUR HOME BASE GAI, WE TRIED TO CONTACT DULLES APCH FOR CLRNC THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. HE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND SAID TO STAY CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND REMAIN VFR. WE HAD BEEN CLBING AT THAT POINT, EXPECTING CLRNC. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 1200 FT TO STAY CLR (BELOW) THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND USED THE DME FROM ARMEL TO STAY APPROX 8 MI AWAY. THE CTLR CALLED BACK A FEW MINS LATER FOR OUR REQUEST AND, AT THAT TIME, HE SAID WE WERE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE UNDER THE APCH PATH TO RWY 19R AND TOLD US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 090 DEGS. THE DME AT THAT TIME SHOWED 7.3 MI, SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE, BUT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY SOON IF WE DIDN'T TURN. NEXT TIME WE WILL REVIEW THE TERMINAL AREA CHART MORE BEFORE TKOF. IT WOULD HELP IF THE TWR AT HEF COULD COORDINATE WITH DULLES APCH AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT THERE IS NO DELAY IN FINDING OUT IF ENTRANCE INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE IS GOING TO BE ALLOWED. IF NOT, WE COULD HAVE MADE ALTERNATE PLANS BEFORE TKOF.

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.