Narrative:

Departing centennial airport (apa) under the denver TCA. Received takeoff clearance without climb restriction from centennial tower. Took off, climbed on course. Waited for tower to tell me to contact denver departure. Finally contacted centennial tower about 10 mi out, 9500', to ask to change to departure. Received permission, then contacted denver departure. Was informed, sternly, that I was in the denver TCA without a clearance. Eventually got sorted out and proceeded with the flight. MEA culpa: on the face of it, this is a pretty straightforward TCA bust. In fact, I was in the TCA without a clearance, and in retrospect, I should have known better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM PLT DEPARTING APA CLIMBS EASTWARD INTO DEN TCA WITHOUT CLRNC BECAUSE APA TWR NEVER TOLD HIM TO CONTACT APCH CTL.

Narrative: DEPARTING CENTENNIAL ARPT (APA) UNDER THE DENVER TCA. RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC WITHOUT CLIMB RESTRICTION FROM CENTENNIAL TWR. TOOK OFF, CLIMBED ON COURSE. WAITED FOR TWR TO TELL ME TO CONTACT DENVER DEP. FINALLY CONTACTED CENTENNIAL TWR ABOUT 10 MI OUT, 9500', TO ASK TO CHANGE TO DEP. RECEIVED PERMISSION, THEN CONTACTED DENVER DEP. WAS INFORMED, STERNLY, THAT I WAS IN THE DENVER TCA WITHOUT A CLRNC. EVENTUALLY GOT SORTED OUT AND PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT. MEA CULPA: ON THE FACE OF IT, THIS IS A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD TCA BUST. IN FACT, I WAS IN THE TCA WITHOUT A CLRNC, AND IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.