A C421 COMMERCIAL PLT PENETRATES THE EDGE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN ATC DELAYS THEIR MESSAGE OF 'REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B' 25 NM N OF ORD; IL.

Date: 2001-06 · Aircraft: Golden Eagle 421

Anomalies: airspace-violation-all-types|conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

A C421 COMMERCIAL PLT PENETRATES THE EDGE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN ATC DELAYS THEIR MESSAGE OF 'REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B' 25 NM N OF ORD; IL.

Narrative

I WAS DSNDING FROM 17500 FT ON VFR FLT FOLLOWING GOING INTO PWK. WITH THE ANGLE OF DSCNT AND PAST EXPERIENCE; I REALIZED THE FLT PATH COULD CLIP CHICAGO'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. ROCKFORD APCH IS NOT ALLOWED TO PASS ON ANY VFR FLT FOLLOWINGS TO CHICAGO; SO I WAS FORCED TO GO TO 1200 AND CALL CHICAGO ON 120.55. AFTER GETTING A SQUAWK CODE; THE CTLR SAID SHE WAS TOO BUSY; AND SAID I SHOULD TRY 125.0. I PROTESTED AND SHE INDICATED THAT THE OTHER CTLR WASN'T AS BUSY AND I WAS REALLY IN THE OTHER CTLR'S TERRITORY BEING AT OR ABOVE 4000 FT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME ON MY WKLY TRIPS WHERE I WAS ASKED TO GO TO 125.0. WITH BOTH CTLRS; I REPEATEDLY OFFERED MY DISTANCE FROM THE EDGE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. STARTING AT ABOUT 25 MI; 12 MI; 6 MI; 3.5 MI; 1.5 MI. FOR THE LAST 2 CALL-INS; I WAS REMINDING THE 125.0 CTLR I HADN'T RECEIVED CLRNC YET. FINALLY AT .5 OR .2 MI OUT; THE CTLR SAID SHE WAS TOO BUSY AND I WAS TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. AT THAT TIME; I WAS DSNDING AT 200 KIAS AND STILL HAD A STRONG 30-KT TAILWIND. I WENT INTO A L BANK TO EXIT THE CLASS B AREA BUT STILL WENT INTO THE CLASS B AREA BY .8 MI. DSNDING FROM 5800 FT AT THE BEGINNING EDGE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TO EXITING OUT THE BUTTON AT 3600 FT. I WAS ONLY CLIPPING THE LOWER OUTSIDE EDGE. MY COMPLAINTS ARE: 1) I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER IF THE 120.55 CTLR KEPT ME FOR THAT SHORT DISTANCE. 2) I WAS LULLED INTO THINKING I WAS GOING TO GET A CLRNC. POLICE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTRAP A SUSPECT. I WOULD NEVER VIOLATE CLASS B AIRSPACE ON MY OWN. A MORE CYNICAL PERSON WOULD SAY THE DELAYED RESPONSE WAS INTENTIONAL TO SEE AIRPLANES DO CARTWHEELS ON RADAR OR CTLR BETTING ON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. 3)FROM MY TIME ON 120.55; I KNEW THERE WERE JETS ON THE ILS TO PWK. I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE MY MANEUVERS WERE EVASIVE AND NOT GENERALLY PREDICTABLE. MY TURNING L TURN WAS THE QUICKEST WAY OUT OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; BUT IT ALSO PUSHED ME TOWARDS THE JET'S APCH PATH HEAD-ON. 4) WHEN CALLING THE MGR AT TRACON TO GET THE NASA FORM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY 30+ YRS OF FLYING; I FELT PRESSURES OF INTIMIDATION. THE MGR WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED; WHICH IS OK. BUT THEN STATED HE SIDED WITH HIS CTLR BECAUSE THEIR BLANKET 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE' PROTECTED HER. YOU FILE THAT FORM AND IT WILL START AN INVESTIGATION. AFTER THOSE STATEMENTS; HE DEMANDED MY NAME AND N-NUMBER. I REFUSED BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE; STATING I WANTED TO FILE A NASA FORM FIRST. WE TALKED AND LATER HE DID RECEIVE MY INFO; WHICH WAS GIVEN TO AID THE NASA SAFETY MAN WHO HANDLES THE NASA PROGRAM. I ALSO OFFERED MY PHONE NUMBER AND THE MGR DID NOT WANT IT. I INSISTED 3 TIMES THAT HE TAKE IT. MY INFO WAS FOR NASA FOLLOW-UP; BUT THE CTLR DIDN'T WANT IT. I HAD TO INSIST BECAUSE I FELT DUPED; SCARED AND I WANTED TO REMIND HIM THE PRETENSE THAT I GAVE HIM THE INFO. SURE ENOUGH; THE NEXT MORNING; THERE WAS NO INFO LEFT FOR THE NASA PROGRAM MAN. NO INFO WAS COLLECTED NOR WAS THERE ANY NOTE FOR HIM TO CALL ME FROM THE MGR. IT HAS BEEN 2 WKS AND I AM STILL MAD ABOUT THAT. DOES ANYBODY THINK I AM THE FIRST PERSON TO RECEIVE THIS TREATMENT?

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.