C152 instructor and student possibly entered ord class B airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	561970
Time
Date	200210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lot.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mco.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 920 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	561970
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was on a VFR training flight for stall training and spin awareness, climbing out of lot. Normally, I stay low until well clear of class B airspace, but today I instructed student to level off at 3500 ft MSL, 100 ft shy of ord class B airspace, so we could get out of everyone's way. I tried to leave a little room below the class B airspace, even though by the time we could realistically have reached that altitude, we should have been well clear of the class B airspace. Well, traffic reported coming from the north entering a crosswind for runway 27, which we had just departed, and were currently about the area of a crosswind leg. I had the student level off briefly to look for traffic. After spotting traffic, I instructed him it was alright to climb. He continued to climb as I was looking outside scanning for other traffic. As I brought my head back into the cockpit, I looked at the altimeter to see we were at 3600-3700 ft MSL. I yelled at the student to level off and informed him of the situation, and that we may be in violation. I took his sectional chart and estimated that we had to be clear of the class B airspace by approximately 3-5 mi but that it was close. I then instructed him to turn further south and away from the class B airspace, and then to continue the climb a little further away. I think the lack of situational awareness on my part was a contributing factor. I should have been paying closer attention inside the aircraft as we approached our altitude, and closer attention to where we were in regards to the class B airspace. I also should not have allowed myself to be so distraction by the traffic to lose supervision of my student's actions. The student should have also been more aware of his altitude and our location. Especially after being reminded of what altitude we were climbing to. To correct for this situation, and to avoid another close call as we were not in violation, hopefully, better situational awareness is needed, along with better supervision of my students. I cannot relax my supervision while being distraction outside. I also can probably leave a little more room for error when departing the area, or use my normal method of staying low until well clear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT POSSIBLY ENTERED ORD CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WAS ON A VFR TRAINING FLT FOR STALL TRAINING AND SPIN AWARENESS, CLBING OUT OF LOT. NORMALLY, I STAY LOW UNTIL WELL CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE, BUT TODAY I INSTRUCTED STUDENT TO LEVEL OFF AT 3500 FT MSL, 100 FT SHY OF ORD CLASS B AIRSPACE, SO WE COULD GET OUT OF EVERYONE'S WAY. I TRIED TO LEAVE A LITTLE ROOM BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, EVEN THOUGH BY THE TIME WE COULD REALISTICALLY HAVE REACHED THAT ALT, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELL CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WELL, TFC RPTED COMING FROM THE N ENTERING A XWIND FOR RWY 27, WHICH WE HAD JUST DEPARTED, AND WERE CURRENTLY ABOUT THE AREA OF A XWIND LEG. I HAD THE STUDENT LEVEL OFF BRIEFLY TO LOOK FOR TFC. AFTER SPOTTING TFC, I INSTRUCTED HIM IT WAS ALRIGHT TO CLB. HE CONTINUED TO CLB AS I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE SCANNING FOR OTHER TFC. AS I BROUGHT MY HEAD BACK INTO THE COCKPIT, I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER TO SEE WE WERE AT 3600-3700 FT MSL. I YELLED AT THE STUDENT TO LEVEL OFF AND INFORMED HIM OF THE SIT, AND THAT WE MAY BE IN VIOLATION. I TOOK HIS SECTIONAL CHART AND ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD TO BE CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE BY APPROX 3-5 MI BUT THAT IT WAS CLOSE. I THEN INSTRUCTED HIM TO TURN FURTHER S AND AWAY FROM THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND THEN TO CONTINUE THE CLB A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY. I THINK THE LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON MY PART WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTN INSIDE THE ACFT AS WE APCHED OUR ALT, AND CLOSER ATTN TO WHERE WE WERE IN REGARDS TO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I ALSO SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE SO DISTR BY THE TFC TO LOSE SUPERVISION OF MY STUDENT'S ACTIONS. THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN MORE AWARE OF HIS ALT AND OUR LOCATION. ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING REMINDED OF WHAT ALT WE WERE CLBING TO. TO CORRECT FOR THIS SIT, AND TO AVOID ANOTHER CLOSE CALL AS WE WERE NOT IN VIOLATION, HOPEFULLY, BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS NEEDED, ALONG WITH BETTER SUPERVISION OF MY STUDENTS. I CANNOT RELAX MY SUPERVISION WHILE BEING DISTR OUTSIDE. I ALSO CAN PROBABLY LEAVE A LITTLE MORE ROOM FOR ERROR WHEN DEPARTING THE AREA, OR USE MY NORMAL METHOD OF STAYING LOW UNTIL WELL CLR.

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.