Narrative:

I took off from montgomery field VFR on a short flight to check out my fuel flow instrument that had recently been replaced. I flew along the coast to the oceanside, ca, VOR. The instrument worked well and I turned back toward the mzb VOR located in mission bay in san diego. The WX was clear and montgomery field was clear. I was at 3500 ft as I approached the mzb VOR and I began my descent to land. I intended to turn left towards the field just before reaching the mzb VOR which is located in mission bay. This VOR marks the boundary of class B airspace. There was a layer of patchy ground fog along the coast. The ground fog covered mission bay just before I arrived at the north edge of mission bay and I could not see my landmark where I usually make the turn toward the airport. I expected to see the bay momentarily and while I was looking down, I inadvertently proceeded past the VOR into class B airspace. When I glanced at my GPS, I realized that I had passed the VOR and immediately turned back toward the field. I was in class B airspace for a min or so and there was no conflict with any other traffic. This incident was caused by my temporary fixation on looking for the landmark which was obscured by ground fog and flew into class B airspace. What I should have done was to look toward other landmarks inland which were visible and thus have avoided the intrusion into class B airspace. Also, it would have been a simple matter to check my GPS more often when the ground references are momentarily obscured. I also think that complacency was a factor as myf is my home airport and I might have been a little over confident on a short routine flight. I am sorry that this incident happened and will correct the mistakes that were made so these type of occurrences do not happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE33 PLT ENTERED SAN CLASS B AIRSPACE AFTER GND FOG OBSCURED HIS VISUAL TURN POINT.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM MONTGOMERY FIELD VFR ON A SHORT FLT TO CHK OUT MY FUEL FLOW INST THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPLACED. I FLEW ALONG THE COAST TO THE OCEANSIDE, CA, VOR. THE INST WORKED WELL AND I TURNED BACK TOWARD THE MZB VOR LOCATED IN MISSION BAY IN SAN DIEGO. THE WX WAS CLR AND MONTGOMERY FIELD WAS CLR. I WAS AT 3500 FT AS I APCHED THE MZB VOR AND I BEGAN MY DSCNT TO LAND. I INTENDED TO TURN L TOWARDS THE FIELD JUST BEFORE REACHING THE MZB VOR WHICH IS LOCATED IN MISSION BAY. THIS VOR MARKS THE BOUNDARY OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. THERE WAS A LAYER OF PATCHY GND FOG ALONG THE COAST. THE GND FOG COVERED MISSION BAY JUST BEFORE I ARRIVED AT THE N EDGE OF MISSION BAY AND I COULD NOT SEE MY LANDMARK WHERE I USUALLY MAKE THE TURN TOWARD THE ARPT. I EXPECTED TO SEE THE BAY MOMENTARILY AND WHILE I WAS LOOKING DOWN, I INADVERTENTLY PROCEEDED PAST THE VOR INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN I GLANCED AT MY GPS, I REALIZED THAT I HAD PASSED THE VOR AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TOWARD THE FIELD. I WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE FOR A MIN OR SO AND THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER TFC. THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY MY TEMPORARY FIXATION ON LOOKING FOR THE LANDMARK WHICH WAS OBSCURED BY GND FOG AND FLEW INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS TO LOOK TOWARD OTHER LANDMARKS INLAND WHICH WERE VISIBLE AND THUS HAVE AVOIDED THE INTRUSION INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. ALSO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE MATTER TO CHK MY GPS MORE OFTEN WHEN THE GND REFS ARE MOMENTARILY OBSCURED. I ALSO THINK THAT COMPLACENCY WAS A FACTOR AS MYF IS MY HOME ARPT AND I MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OVER CONFIDENT ON A SHORT ROUTINE FLT. I AM SORRY THAT THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED AND WILL CORRECT THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE SO THESE TYPE OF OCCURRENCES DO NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.