Small aircraft circline over small town enters TCA.

Attributes
ACN	137781
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sus
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	137781
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying from st charles co (smartt field) to cottleville, 1-3 mi north of spirit field. I climbed out of smartt to 2000' to avoid st charles traffic. I tuned in st charles and informed traffic I would be passing over at 2000' headed sse. I then tuned my radio to spirit field (120.3) as I was tuning to them, and finding their frequency. I rose to 2500 (indicated). I contacted spirit and informed them of my intentions (circle 3-4 mi nnw over cottleville. Spirit asked me to identify, which I did. At that time spirit was extremely busy, but I thought he acknowledged my request. I circled cottleville several times and then turned north. As I was circling cottleville, spirit changed from 120.3 (frequency) to 118.3. I followed, and stated my intention of departing to the nnw. Upon returning to smartt I was informed to call st louis center who informed me I had violated lambert TCA. I had not taken a TCA chart with me. Furthermore center said that spirit informed me to contact center on their frequency. I did not hear spirit give that call. Lambert said I had crossed their TCA at 2900' MSL. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he was viewing a new subdivision from the air with his neighbors. FAA contacted and has written an investigation report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CIRCLINE OVER SMALL TOWN ENTERS TCA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM ST CHARLES CO (SMARTT FIELD) TO COTTLEVILLE, 1-3 MI N OF SPIRIT FIELD. I CLIMBED OUT OF SMARTT TO 2000' TO AVOID ST CHARLES TFC. I TUNED IN ST CHARLES AND INFORMED TFC I WOULD BE PASSING OVER AT 2000' HEADED SSE. I THEN TUNED MY RADIO TO SPIRIT FIELD (120.3) AS I WAS TUNING TO THEM, AND FINDING THEIR FREQ. I ROSE TO 2500 (INDICATED). I CONTACTED SPIRIT AND INFORMED THEM OF MY INTENTIONS (CIRCLE 3-4 MI NNW OVER COTTLEVILLE. SPIRIT ASKED ME TO IDENT, WHICH I DID. AT THAT TIME SPIRIT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, BUT I THOUGHT HE ACKNOWLEDGED MY REQUEST. I CIRCLED COTTLEVILLE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN TURNED N. AS I WAS CIRCLING COTTLEVILLE, SPIRIT CHANGED FROM 120.3 (FREQ) TO 118.3. I FOLLOWED, AND STATED MY INTENTION OF DEPARTING TO THE NNW. UPON RETURNING TO SMARTT I WAS INFORMED TO CALL ST LOUIS CENTER WHO INFORMED ME I HAD VIOLATED LAMBERT TCA. I HAD NOT TAKEN A TCA CHART WITH ME. FURTHERMORE CENTER SAID THAT SPIRIT INFORMED ME TO CONTACT CENTER ON THEIR FREQ. I DID NOT HEAR SPIRIT GIVE THAT CALL. LAMBERT SAID I HAD CROSSED THEIR TCA AT 2900' MSL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER STATES HE WAS VIEWING A NEW SUBDIVISION FROM THE AIR WITH HIS NEIGHBORS. FAA CONTACTED AND HAS WRITTEN AN INVESTIGATION REPORT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.