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Beech baron 55 pilot enters den class B airspace while in cruise.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 699493 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200606 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : den.vor |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Duke 60 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 14.8 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 343.2 |
| ASRS Report | 699493 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
After leaving loveland-ft collins; co; airport (fnl) at approximately XA40 on jun/xa/06; I climbed southeasterly to 6500 ft en route to front range airport (ftg) and skirt the den class B airspace to the east. The floor of various sectors of the class B airspace along that intended route of flight is 8000 ft; then 7000 ft. There is an area; however; between the 10 and 15 NM radials off the den VOR between the den 310 degree radial and the den 014 degree radial where the floor drops to 6000 ft; and which -- if my airplane's intended course were altered slightly more to the south rather than keeping it to the east -- an altitude of 6500 ft could result in an unauthorized incursion into the class B airspace. Approximately 15 mins after leaving fnl; I began to feel slightly nauseous. At that time I was flying underneath the 7000 ft floor of the class B airspace between the 15 and 20 NM segment. After a couple of mins the nauseous sensation passed; but I then felt an increasingly urgent need for a bowel movement. My most recent meal was approximately 2-1/2 hours earlier before flying to fnl and at fnl I felt fine. The urge to vacate became strong enough that I reached into the back seat looking for anything to use to place between me and the seat in case things got worse. While doing this; the airplane ascended to approximately 6800 ft MSL which I then corrected back to 6500 ft. However; I was paying more attention to whether or not I should continue to front range airport or try to possibly get to greeley airport (gxy) to relieve the situation than I was to whether I might be straying closer to the class B airspace. When it finally became clear to me that gxy was no better an option than continuing to ftg; I noticed that my DME off den (117.9) read 11.2 and I was still at 6500 ft. I immediately turned directly east and descended to below 6000 ft; but while I do not think I clipped the class B airspace; it is indeed possible that I may have. I hope not. I've never had a violation of any kind in more than 30 yrs of flying. The important thing is to keep track of what you're doing and avoid becoming distraction. I've flown around the den class B airspace for many yrs; so I have no excuses.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BEECH BARON 55 PLT ENTERS DEN CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE IN CRUISE.
Narrative: AFTER LEAVING LOVELAND-FT COLLINS; CO; ARPT (FNL) AT APPROX XA40 ON JUN/XA/06; I CLBED SOUTHEASTERLY TO 6500 FT ENRTE TO FRONT RANGE ARPT (FTG) AND SKIRT THE DEN CLASS B AIRSPACE TO THE E. THE FLOOR OF VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE ALONG THAT INTENDED RTE OF FLT IS 8000 FT; THEN 7000 FT. THERE IS AN AREA; HOWEVER; BTWN THE 10 AND 15 NM RADIALS OFF THE DEN VOR BETWEEN THE DEN 310 DEG RADIAL AND THE DEN 014 DEG RADIAL WHERE THE FLOOR DROPS TO 6000 FT; AND WHICH -- IF MY AIRPLANE'S INTENDED COURSE WERE ALTERED SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE S RATHER THAN KEEPING IT TO THE E -- AN ALT OF 6500 FT COULD RESULT IN AN UNAUTH INCURSION INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. APPROX 15 MINS AFTER LEAVING FNL; I BEGAN TO FEEL SLIGHTLY NAUSEOUS. AT THAT TIME I WAS FLYING UNDERNEATH THE 7000 FT FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE BTWN THE 15 AND 20 NM SEGMENT. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS THE NAUSEOUS SENSATION PASSED; BUT I THEN FELT AN INCREASINGLY URGENT NEED FOR A BOWEL MOVEMENT. MY MOST RECENT MEAL WAS APPROX 2-1/2 HRS EARLIER BEFORE FLYING TO FNL AND AT FNL I FELT FINE. THE URGE TO VACATE BECAME STRONG ENOUGH THAT I REACHED INTO THE BACK SEAT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING TO USE TO PLACE BTWN ME AND THE SEAT IN CASE THINGS GOT WORSE. WHILE DOING THIS; THE AIRPLANE ASCENDED TO APPROX 6800 FT MSL WHICH I THEN CORRECTED BACK TO 6500 FT. HOWEVER; I WAS PAYING MORE ATTN TO WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD CONTINUE TO FRONT RANGE ARPT OR TRY TO POSSIBLY GET TO GREELEY ARPT (GXY) TO RELIEVE THE SITUATION THAN I WAS TO WHETHER I MIGHT BE STRAYING CLOSER TO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN IT FINALLY BECAME CLR TO ME THAT GXY WAS NO BETTER AN OPTION THAN CONTINUING TO FTG; I NOTICED THAT MY DME OFF DEN (117.9) READ 11.2 AND I WAS STILL AT 6500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED DIRECTLY E AND DSNDED TO BELOW 6000 FT; BUT WHILE I DO NOT THINK I CLIPPED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; IT IS INDEED POSSIBLE THAT I MAY HAVE. I HOPE NOT. I'VE NEVER HAD A VIOLATION OF ANY KIND IN MORE THAN 30 YRS OF FLYING. THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND AVOID BECOMING DISTR. I'VE FLOWN AROUND THE DEN CLASS B AIRSPACE FOR MANY YRS; SO I HAVE NO EXCUSES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.