Narrative:

When planning a flight from cfd to lbx, I had used commercial software to do the planning and then accessed through commercial service. Flight planner calculated my heading and I inadvertently used the altitude from a prior plan (4500 ft). I failed to recognize that with a heading of 167 degrees I should have been at an odd altitude. When I actually flew the flight, I had approximately a 90 degree crosswind and had to continually add right correction. Even with the correction, I continued to fly left (east) of my course line. At one of my ground reference check points (brookshire, tx), I noted that I was approximately 1-2 mi east and after looking at the sectional noted that I may have slightly entered houston class B airspace. I was not in contact with approach control. I then turned 90 degrees right to course and made sure I was clear of class B airspace before I turned back on heading. Lessons learned: 1) never accept default values when using computers for flight planning. I have received training and know the proper altitudes for headings. 2) software does not show various controled airspaces. Always check a flight route against a chart to make sure you do not enter into controled airspace without authority/authorized. 3) even though regulations do not require contact with departure when you are not entering their airspace, it's a good idea if you're even close so they can give you a code to keep you in sight and advise other traffic. 4) stay heads up. Don't take anything for granted.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLEW AN INAPPROPRIATE HDG FOR DIRECTION AND THEN ENTERED IAH CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHEN PLANNING A FLT FROM CFD TO LBX, I HAD USED COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE TO DO THE PLANNING AND THEN ACCESSED THROUGH COMMERCIAL SVC. FLT PLANNER CALCULATED MY HDG AND I INADVERTENTLY USED THE ALT FROM A PRIOR PLAN (4500 FT). I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WITH A HDG OF 167 DEGS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT AN ODD ALT. WHEN I ACTUALLY FLEW THE FLT, I HAD APPROX A 90 DEG XWIND AND HAD TO CONTINUALLY ADD R CORRECTION. EVEN WITH THE CORRECTION, I CONTINUED TO FLY L (E) OF MY COURSE LINE. AT ONE OF MY GND REF CHK POINTS (BROOKSHIRE, TX), I NOTED THAT I WAS APPROX 1-2 MI E AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE SECTIONAL NOTED THAT I MAY HAVE SLIGHTLY ENTERED HOUSTON CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH APCH CTL. I THEN TURNED 90 DEGS R TO COURSE AND MADE SURE I WAS CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE I TURNED BACK ON HDG. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) NEVER ACCEPT DEFAULT VALUES WHEN USING COMPUTERS FOR FLT PLANNING. I HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING AND KNOW THE PROPER ALTS FOR HDGS. 2) SOFTWARE DOES NOT SHOW VARIOUS CTLED AIRSPACES. ALWAYS CHK A FLT RTE AGAINST A CHART TO MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT ENTER INTO CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT AUTH. 3) EVEN THOUGH REGS DO NOT REQUIRE CONTACT WITH DEP WHEN YOU ARE NOT ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE, IT'S A GOOD IDEA IF YOU'RE EVEN CLOSE SO THEY CAN GIVE YOU A CODE TO KEEP YOU IN SIGHT AND ADVISE OTHER TFC. 4) STAY HEADS UP. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.

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.