Narrative:

On dec/sat/01, I was rtning from a solo cross country from ktix to ksfb. I inadvertently flew into an area where visual reference to the ground could no longer be made. I turned that aircraft around to find an area where I could reference the ground to obtain my location and land at an airport. During this process I entered class 'B' airspace unknowingly. I was able to find an area where I could circle to try to determine my location. My first observation was that I was in an area much more densely populated than I had expected. I was also able to spot a lighter than air type aircraft which I had heard conversations of one in the orlando area. I made a decision to head east and climb to avoid the orlando vicinity. I switched to orlando approach to ask for my position and vectors to sanford (ksfb). At this point, ATC notified me that I had entered class 'B' airspace without clearance. I explained that I was lost and the controller was very helpful in vectoring me to sanford. I was unable to maintain VFR flight conditions in any direction at this point. ATC was able to guide me through a descent in IMC conditions that enabled me to use visual references to rtn to sanford. Conditions did not allow me to maintain VFR cloud clrncs. I DOD not know if I requested special VFR for landing. In retrospect, I learned a great deal from this experience. I will certainly be more aware of the WX conditions and the changes that are occurring. I will also communicate with ATC sooner to prevent inadvertently entering class 'B' airspace. The training that I had received, also with the help of ATC saved my life and possibly others. I will continue to strive to be more situational aware and exercise good PIC judgment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA 152 STUDENT PLT INADVERTENTLY FLY INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE AFTER BECOMING LOST DUE TO ENTERING IMC CONDITIONS DURING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: ON DEC/SAT/01, I WAS RTNING FROM A SOLO XCOUNTRY FROM KTIX TO KSFB. I INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO AN AREA WHERE VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE GND COULD NO LONGER BE MADE. I TURNED THAT ACFT AROUND TO FIND AN AREA WHERE I COULD REFERENCE THE GND TO OBTAIN MY LOCATION AND LAND AT AN ARPT. DURING THIS PROCESS I ENTERED CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE UNKNOWINGLY. I WAS ABLE TO FIND AN AREA WHERE I COULD CIRCLE TO TRY TO DETERMINE MY LOCATION. MY FIRST OBSERVATION WAS THAT I WAS IN AN AREA MUCH MORE DENSELY POPULATED THAN I HAD EXPECTED. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO SPOT A LIGHTER THAN AIR TYPE ACFT WHICH I HAD HEARD CONVERSATIONS OF ONE IN THE ORLANDO AREA. I MADE A DECISION TO HEAD EAST AND CLB TO AVOID THE ORLANDO VICINITY. I SWITCHED TO ORLANDO APCH TO ASK FOR MY POS AND VECTORS TO SANFORD (KSFB). AT THIS POINT, ATC NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD ENTERED CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS LOST AND THE CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL IN VECTORING ME TO SANFORD. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR FLT CONDITIONS IN ANY DIRECTION AT THIS POINT. ATC WAS ABLE TO GUIDE ME THROUGH A DSCNT IN IMC CONDITIONS THAT ENABLED ME TO USE VISUAL REFERENCES TO RTN TO SANFORD. CONDITIONS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN VFR CLOUD CLRNCS. I DOD NOT KNOW IF I REQUESTED SPECIAL VFR FOR LNDG. IN RETROSPECT, I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. I WILL CERTAINLY BE MORE AWARE OF THE WX CONDITIONS AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING. I WILL ALSO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC SOONER TO PREVENT INADVERTENTLY ENTERING CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE. THE TRAINING THAT I HAD RECEIVED, ALSO WITH THE HELP OF ATC SAVED MY LIFE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. I WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE MORE SITUATIONAL AWARE AND EXERCISE GOOD PIC JUDGMENT.

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.