Narrative:

VFR at 5500 ft; I requested and was granted flight following from dayton ATC and assigned a transponder discrete code number to squawk. As I got closer to cvg's class B airspace and my destination (pattern altitude 1680 ft); I kept thinking that the controller would hand me off to cincinnati any time or cancel radar service as I was well into cincinnati's ATC control area; but I could hear the controller was very busy on the frequency. I wanted to call him as a reminder; but there was no break in his other communications that would allow me a reasonable opportunity to get through. Finally; the controller called my numbers and rather abruptly said; 'radar service canceled.' I don't think he even said 'squawk VFR.' by then I was at 5500 ft and very close if not already in class B airspace. I immediately changed transponder codes with 1 press of the VFR button to squawk 1200 and pushed the plane into a steep descent and turned left; more to the north; hoping and expecting that I could remain outside and get below the airspace. Upon landing; the FBO radioed me to call the cvg controller; which I did on my cell phone within 5 mins of landing. He said that I had just clipped or was very near the outside edge of his airspace and wanted my explanation. I gave him the above information. In the 2 1/2 min discussion; he asked if I was canceled by dayton center when I changed frequency to VFR; which I affirmed 'yes.' he took note of the fact that I initiated a steep descent. I believe this controller realized I was under dayton's ATC control authority/authorized; that I was canceled at the very last min; and was left with virtually no time to adjust altitude or direction sufficiently. I believe the controller remarked at the very end of the call that I would not expect to hear anymore of this event. Contributing factors: possibly dayton controller was way too busy to keep track of my location relative to cincinnati class B airspace. Corrective actions: in the future; I don't think I'll request flight following for such a short flight. I have flown this route before and was always handed off or canceled; or was instructed to descend well enough out as not to cause problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF VFR ACFT ON FLT FOLLOWING WITH ATC WAS TERMINATED LATE AND ENTERED CVG CLASS B WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: VFR AT 5500 FT; I REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED FLT FOLLOWING FROM DAYTON ATC AND ASSIGNED A XPONDER DISCRETE CODE NUMBER TO SQUAWK. AS I GOT CLOSER TO CVG'S CLASS B AIRSPACE AND MY DEST (PATTERN ALT 1680 FT); I KEPT THINKING THAT THE CTLR WOULD HAND ME OFF TO CINCINNATI ANY TIME OR CANCEL RADAR SVC AS I WAS WELL INTO CINCINNATI'S ATC CTL AREA; BUT I COULD HEAR THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY ON THE FREQ. I WANTED TO CALL HIM AS A REMINDER; BUT THERE WAS NO BREAK IN HIS OTHER COMS THAT WOULD ALLOW ME A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THROUGH. FINALLY; THE CTLR CALLED MY NUMBERS AND RATHER ABRUPTLY SAID; 'RADAR SVC CANCELED.' I DON'T THINK HE EVEN SAID 'SQUAWK VFR.' BY THEN I WAS AT 5500 FT AND VERY CLOSE IF NOT ALREADY IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED XPONDER CODES WITH 1 PRESS OF THE VFR BUTTON TO SQUAWK 1200 AND PUSHED THE PLANE INTO A STEEP DSCNT AND TURNED L; MORE TO THE N; HOPING AND EXPECTING THAT I COULD REMAIN OUTSIDE AND GET BELOW THE AIRSPACE. UPON LNDG; THE FBO RADIOED ME TO CALL THE CVG CTLR; WHICH I DID ON MY CELL PHONE WITHIN 5 MINS OF LNDG. HE SAID THAT I HAD JUST CLIPPED OR WAS VERY NEAR THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF HIS AIRSPACE AND WANTED MY EXPLANATION. I GAVE HIM THE ABOVE INFO. IN THE 2 1/2 MIN DISCUSSION; HE ASKED IF I WAS CANCELED BY DAYTON CTR WHEN I CHANGED FREQ TO VFR; WHICH I AFFIRMED 'YES.' HE TOOK NOTE OF THE FACT THAT I INITIATED A STEEP DSCNT. I BELIEVE THIS CTLR REALIZED I WAS UNDER DAYTON'S ATC CTL AUTH; THAT I WAS CANCELED AT THE VERY LAST MIN; AND WAS LEFT WITH VIRTUALLY NO TIME TO ADJUST ALT OR DIRECTION SUFFICIENTLY. I BELIEVE THE CTLR REMARKED AT THE VERY END OF THE CALL THAT I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO HEAR ANYMORE OF THIS EVENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POSSIBLY DAYTON CTLR WAS WAY TOO BUSY TO KEEP TRACK OF MY LOCATION RELATIVE TO CINCINNATI CLASS B AIRSPACE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: IN THE FUTURE; I DON'T THINK I'LL REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING FOR SUCH A SHORT FLT. I HAVE FLOWN THIS RTE BEFORE AND WAS ALWAYS HANDED OFF OR CANCELED; OR WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND WELL ENOUGH OUT AS NOT TO CAUSE PROBS.

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.