C182 PLT ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. IMMEDIATELY EXITS THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative

WAS FATIGUED AS A RESULT OF TOO LITTLE SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE -- WORKED LATE AND AROSE AT XA15. FILED VFR FLT PLAN THROUGH DUATS. PLANNED TO DEPART BJC APPROX XC00 FOR FLT DIRECTED TO STK ON A 50 DEG HDG. A DELAY IN GETTING ENRTE WX INFO THROUGH GTE DUATS (VIA MY HOME COMPUTER) AND IN FILING MY FLT PLAN CONTRIBUTED TO A DEP DELAY. I DEPARTED BJC AND OPENED MY VFR FLT PLAN THROUGH DENVER FLT SVC STATION WHILE AIRBORNE. I HAD FILED FOR INITIAL CRUISE ALT OF 11500 FT MSL WITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT CTLED AIRSPACE BECAUSE I USUALLY FLY XCOUNTRY FLTS IFR. AFTER TURNING TO MY DEP HDG OF 50 DEGS AND OPENING MY FLT PLAN; I XCHKED MY POS ON THE DENVER VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART. AGHAST THAT MY ALT WAS (AT 7200 FT MSL) ABOVE THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO A CRUISE ALT OF 6800 FT MSL; WHERE I REMAINED UNTIL WELL TO THE NE OF THE DENVER CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHILE NO APPARENT AIRSPACE CONFLICT AROSE (IE; NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN CLOSE PROX); TO HAVE AVOIDED MY INADVERTENT INCURSION INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE; I SHOULD HAVE: 1) TUNED; IDENTED AND MONITORED THE DEN VORTAC CTR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE USING DME TO CONSTANTLY BE AWARE OF MY POS WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE (I DID THIS ONLY AFTER COMPARING MY ALT WITH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE ALTS DEPICTED ON THE CHART); 2) STUDIED THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART MORE CLOSELY BEFORE DEP; 3) CONTACTED DENVER DEP CTL IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTING BJC (I DIDN'T DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN CONTACTING THE DENVER FSS TO OPEN MY VFR FLT PLAN -- WHICH I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO IF I HAD DEPARTED IFR) TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING AND PERMISSION TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE; AND 4) NOT HAVE BEEN SO FATIGUED BEFORE FLYING. A REAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE CONCERNING THE NEED TO SET EVERYTHING UP WELL BEFORE DEP -- EVEN ON A DIRECT VFR FLT.