Narrative:

At pao requested 'west of bayshore' departure. Was told to expect straight-out, runway 31, followed by handoff to sql tower for transponder code and further instructions. Departed pao and was instructed to contact sql. Was given transponder code and instruction to proceed with highway '101 off right wing' and 'above 1200' ft. If a restr on the maximum altitude was given I did not hear it. I believe that sql acknowledged radar contact. Climb was continued through 1200 ft. Being uneasy with class B airspace above me, I requested that sql verify that climb was unrestr. I was instructed to remain at or below 2000 ft because airspace above 2000 ft belonged to bay approach. Being above the specified altitude, I pushed over immediately and returned to 2000 ft MSL. Subsequently, I received a handoff to sfo. From this point, the remainder of flight was uneventful. I am not certain of the altitude reached in the min or two before the situation was clarified but think that it was in the range of 2600 ft. Thus, depending on the exact location at the time, I may have penetrated the class B sfo segment 'C' with a lower limit of 2500 ft extending southeast of sql between sql and pao. This would have occurred in the vicinity of the southwest boundary of the class B sector in question. 'West of bayshore' is not a route that I have flown previously. Expecting to be cleared into class B airspace, I mentally accepted what I initially took to be a clearance from sql, although the tower controller did not use the phrase 'cleared to enter class B airspace,' or anything similar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNFAMILIAR WITH THE 'W OF THE BAYSHORE' ROUTING FROM PAO ARPT, A PLT INADVERTENTLY CLBS INTO THE SFO CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AT PAO REQUESTED 'W OF BAYSHORE' DEP. WAS TOLD TO EXPECT STRAIGHT-OUT, RWY 31, FOLLOWED BY HDOF TO SQL TWR FOR XPONDER CODE AND FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. DEPARTED PAO AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT SQL. WAS GIVEN XPONDER CODE AND INSTRUCTION TO PROCEED WITH HWY '101 OFF R WING' AND 'ABOVE 1200' FT. IF A RESTR ON THE MAX ALT WAS GIVEN I DID NOT HEAR IT. I BELIEVE THAT SQL ACKNOWLEDGED RADAR CONTACT. CLB WAS CONTINUED THROUGH 1200 FT. BEING UNEASY WITH CLASS B AIRSPACE ABOVE ME, I REQUESTED THAT SQL VERIFY THAT CLB WAS UNRESTR. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN AT OR BELOW 2000 FT BECAUSE AIRSPACE ABOVE 2000 FT BELONGED TO BAY APCH. BEING ABOVE THE SPECIFIED ALT, I PUSHED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND RETURNED TO 2000 FT MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, I RECEIVED A HDOF TO SFO. FROM THIS POINT, THE REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I AM NOT CERTAIN OF THE ALT REACHED IN THE MIN OR TWO BEFORE THE SIT WAS CLARIFIED BUT THINK THAT IT WAS IN THE RANGE OF 2600 FT. THUS, DEPENDING ON THE EXACT LOCATION AT THE TIME, I MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE CLASS B SFO SEGMENT 'C' WITH A LOWER LIMIT OF 2500 FT EXTENDING SE OF SQL BTWN SQL AND PAO. THIS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IN THE VICINITY OF THE SW BOUNDARY OF THE CLASS B SECTOR IN QUESTION. 'W OF BAYSHORE' IS NOT A RTE THAT I HAVE FLOWN PREVIOUSLY. EXPECTING TO BE CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE, I MENTALLY ACCEPTED WHAT I INITIALLY TOOK TO BE A CLRNC FROM SQL, ALTHOUGH THE TWR CTLR DID NOT USE THE PHRASE 'CLRED TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE,' OR ANYTHING SIMILAR.

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.