VFR SR22 DEP FROM PDK ENTERED ATL CLASS B WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.
Synopsis
VFR SR22 DEP FROM PDK ENTERED ATL CLASS B WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.
Narrative
I DEPARTED PDK ARPT; VFR; AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE ATL CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT BEING PROPERLY CLRED INTO THAT AIRSPACE. I WAS FLYING A CIRRUS SR22 ON A VFR TRIP TO DTS. PRIOR TO DEP; I CONTACTED THE PDK TWR WHICH CLRED ME FOR TKOF WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO FLY RWY HDG. ON TKOF PDK TWR DELETED ALT RESTRS AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT ATL DEP ON FREQ 126.97. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATL DEP REQUESTING FLT FOLLOWING THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE AND THEN ON TO DESTIN. THE CTLR; INSTEAD OF TELLING ME TO SQUAWK IDENT OR GIVE ME VECTORS OR ALT INSTRUCTIONS; SIMPLY TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT DEAL WITH ME RIGHT NOW; 'STAND BY.' THE PROB AROSE FOLLOWING THE CTLR'S RESPONSE. ON DEP FROM RWY 20L AT PDK; THERE ARE A SERIES OF VERY TALL (2000+ FT) RADIO TWRS SEVERAL MI OFF THE DEP END; AND TO THE R IS DOWNTOWN ATLANTA WITH ITS TALL BUILDINGS. IN ORDER TO CLR THE RADIO TWRS AND THE ATLANTA SKYLINE; I HAD TO CONTINUE CLBING. I WAS AWAITING THE CTLR TO GET BACK WITH ME AND GIVE ME INSTRUCTIONS; AND SIMPLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THE MEANTIME. REVERSING COURSE OR TURNING WOULD PUT ME DIRECTLY BACK INTO CONFLICT WITH TFC AT PDK. MY AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH TFC SKYWATCH TCASII SYS; AND THERE WAS NO TFC IN MY PATH WITHIN SEVERAL MI HORIZLY AND 2000 FT VERTLY. I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE WITH MY PRESENT COURSE AND CLB AND WAIT FOR THE CTLR TO GET BACK WITH ME. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HARTSFIELD; THE CTLR FINALLY CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF I STILL WANTED THE FLT FOLLOWING TO DESTIN. I TOLD HIM THAT I DID; AND AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE; HE CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AND ASKED ME DID I EVER RECEIVE A CLRNC IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I RESPONDED THAT PDK TWR HAD HANDED ME OFF TO HIM TO WHICH HE RESPONDED; 'WELL; THEY DIDN'T CLR YOU INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND YOU NEED TO CALL US'; AT WHICH POINT I COPIED THE TELEPHONE NUMBER RELATED BY THE CTLR. ONCE ON THE GND AT DTS; I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATLANTA CTL AND DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH THE SUPVR. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND WE DISCUSSED THE SIT AND HOW IT AROSE. TO MY SURPRISE; THE SUPVR HAD NOT BEEN TOLD BY ANYONE THAT I HAD MADE CONTACT WITH DEP OR THAT DEP HAD AGAIN CONTACTED ME AFTER I CROSSED ATLANTA ARPT TO ASK IF I STILL WANTED THE FLT FOLLOWING. I ASSURED THE CTLR THAT I DID NOT INTEND TO VIOLATE ANY FARS AND THE SIT AROSE ONLY BECAUSE (BEING USED TO FLYING IFR ALL THE TIME) I SIMPLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THE DEPT CTLR TOLD ME TO STAND BY WITHOUT GIVING ME FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. I ALSO RELATED TO THE SUPVR THAT ALTHOUGH THE SIT WAS UNFORTUNATE; THAT I DID HAVE THE SKYWATCH TFC SYSTEM AND THAT AT NO TIME WAS I WITHIN 2000 FT VERTICAL DISTANCE FROM ANY TFC. THE CTLR CHASTISED ME FOR NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH FAR REGULATIONS CONCERNING CLASS B AIRSPACE; AND I ASSURED HIM THAT AS SOON AS I RETURNED TO MY BASE ARPT (MLU) I WOULD CONTACT MY INSTRUCTOR AND RECEIVE GND INSTRUCTION FROM HIM ON WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IN THIS SIT AND FURTHER INSTRUCTION ON VFR CLASS B OPS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: AS A RESULT OF THIS SIT; I HAVE CONTACTED MY INSTRUCTOR AND WE PLAN TO SPEND TIME ON GND SCHOOL IN CLASS B OPS; AT LEAST ONE HOUR OF WHICH WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ATL CLASS B AREA AND THE ATL TERSA. OTHER SUGGESTED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS COULD BE MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION FROM THE CTLRS AT PDK TO UNFAMILIAR VFR PLTS DEPARTING RWYS 20L AND 20R. DEP FROM THESE RWYS PUTS PLTS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA INTO A DIFFICULT SIT GIVEN THAT HE OR SHE IS POINTED DIRECTLY AT ATL; AND UPON DEP; THERE IS NO CHOICE BUT TO CLB IMMEDIATELY INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TO AVOID THE TALL RADIO TWRS AND ATLANTA SKYLINE OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 20L AND 20R AT PDK. PERHAPS VECTORS AWAY FROM ATL OR INTO THE VFR CORRIDOR AND ALTITUDE RESTRS FROM PDK TWR FOLLOWING DEP FROM THESE RWYS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY. I REALIZE ATL CTLR ARE VERY BUSY; HOWEVER; I DID INFORM THE CTLR THAT I WAS OFF PDK AND CLBING TO 8500 FT. I FURTHER REQUESTED HIS ASSISTANCE TO GET THROUGH THE AIRSPACE. CTLR; ALTHOUGH BUSY; COULD HAVE GIVEN ME CLR INSTRUCTIONS AS TO VECTORS; OR AT LEAST SOMETHING TO KEEP ME AWAY FROM ATL. THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS CONFUSING; IN THAT I SIMPLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO; AND EXPECTED TO RECEIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.