UNINTENTIONAL CLASS B INCURSION. PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH RTE AS WELL AS CLASS B; AND CITED TAILWIND (INCREASED GNDSPD); AS CONTRIBUTING.
Synopsis
UNINTENTIONAL CLASS B INCURSION. PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH RTE AS WELL AS CLASS B; AND CITED TAILWIND (INCREASED GNDSPD); AS CONTRIBUTING.
Narrative
THE EVENT WAS THE UNINTENDED ENTRY INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE AFTER RECEIVING AND ENTERING A XPONDER CODE BUT WITHOUT ATC HAVING SAID; 'CLRED TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE.' APPROX 55 NM FROM DEST AND PRIOR TO ENTERING CLASS B AIRSPACE; THE PLT CALLED TAMPA APCH AND WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE WHICH WAS PROMPTLY ENTERED. THE CALL WAS ROUTINE; THE PLT WAS NOT TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE CODE. APPROX 2-3 MIN AFTER THE INITIAL CALL TO ATC; THE PLT WAS CALLED BY THE FIRST CTLR AND ROUTINELY HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER TAMPA APCH CTLR WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT. THE PLT CALLED THE SECOND CTLR PROMPTLY. THE PLT HAD EXPECTED THE FIRST CTLR TO PROVIDE THE CLRNC; AND THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN AND/OR INTENDED TO FOLLOW UP ON HIS PROVIDING THE ENTRY CODE. UNSURE; HE THEN EXPECTED THE SECOND CTLR TO PROVIDE THE SPECIFIC CLRNC. HE INTENDED TO ASK THE SECOND CTLR. HOWEVER; THE SECOND CTLR; WITHOUT OPPORTUNITY FOR CLASSIFICATION; IMMEDIATELY GAVE THE PLT A NEW HDG; AN FAA PHONE NUMBER; AND INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL THE NUMBER REGARDING AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION. BELIEVING STRONGLY IN HIS CONSTITUTED RIGHT TO NOT INCRIMINATE HIMSELF; THE PLT REFUSED TO CALL THE FAA'S TELEPHONE NUMBER. THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE PLT HAD NEVER BEFORE FLOWN THE RTE OR WITHIN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; 2) THE PLT FAILED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE GREATLY INCREASED AIRSPD; 3) THE ACFT DME WAS NOT YET PICKING UP SARASOTA; 4) ATC WAS APPARENTLY VERY BUSY 2 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS; 5) IN 2 CONTACTS; THE FIRST CTLR NEVER TOLD THE PLT TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE OR ANYTHING ELSE APART FROM THE CODE AND HDOF. 6) THE FIRST CTLR CARRIED OUT THE HDOF -- IMPLYING RADAR IDENT -- WITHOUT BOTHERING TO SPECIFICALLY PROVIDE THE CLRNC. GIVEN THE UNINTENDED NATURE OF THE INCURSION AFTER A TIMELY CALL TO ATC; THE LACK OF ANY APPARENT CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT MORE THAN 40 MI FROM DEST; THE HDOF PRIOR TO PROVIDING THE SPECIFIC CLRNC: THE PLT'S UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRSPACE; IT IS SUBMITTED THAT A WARNING WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE THAN THE SECOND CTLR'S FOCUS ON ENFORCEMENT. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS; THE UNDERSIGNED HAS OVERHEARD WARNINGS; NOT ENFORCEMENT ACTION; IN THIS PRECISE SIT. SUGGESTED PREVENTIVE ACTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) ATC SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INSTRUCT PLTS TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO TIMELY PROVIDE A CLRNC; AND 2) WHERE AIRSPD IS MUCH GREATER THAN NORMAL; PLTS SHOULD BE TRAINED TO ADJUST AND CALL ATC SOONER!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.