Small aircraft pilot inadvertently penetrates lax TCA while trying to play at being an aerial touris...

Attributes
ACN	141520
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 455 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	141520
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flew southeast from glendale, ca at 1800' under TCA. Called lax approach on 134.9 indicating that I wanted to circle downtown, then fly to smo to land. Shortly thereafter, lax approach notified me that there was traffic over downtown (a blimp), that I could not circle downtown, and to fly northwest, and that I had just violated the lax TCA! I am aware that my transponder was 300' high, because when I was in bur arsa at 2000', was called out to another aircraft as being at 2300'. I don't know how this happened. I flight planned with extreme caution, identing the lax 046 degree right on my (rented) aircraft and communicating with all available resources. I had all appropriate charts and was flying in perfect VFR conditions (at night). The only precaution left that I could have taken was to not even fly!--which is probably why this country's short of pilots (among other reasons). (Forgive the attitude.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES LAX TCA WHILE TRYING TO PLAY AT BEING AN AERIAL TOURIST OF LAX AT NIGHT.

Narrative: FLEW SE FROM GLENDALE, CA AT 1800' UNDER TCA. CALLED LAX APCH ON 134.9 INDICATING THAT I WANTED TO CIRCLE DOWNTOWN, THEN FLY TO SMO TO LAND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, LAX APCH NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WAS TFC OVER DOWNTOWN (A BLIMP), THAT I COULD NOT CIRCLE DOWNTOWN, AND TO FLY NW, AND THAT I HAD JUST VIOLATED THE LAX TCA! I AM AWARE THAT MY XPONDER WAS 300' HIGH, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN BUR ARSA AT 2000', WAS CALLED OUT TO ANOTHER ACFT AS BEING AT 2300'. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED. I FLT PLANNED WITH EXTREME CAUTION, IDENTING THE LAX 046 DEG R ON MY (RENTED) ACFT AND COMMUNICATING WITH ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES. I HAD ALL APPROPRIATE CHARTS AND WAS FLYING IN PERFECT VFR CONDITIONS (AT NIGHT). THE ONLY PRECAUTION LEFT THAT I COULD HAVE TAKEN WAS TO NOT EVEN FLY!--WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THIS COUNTRY'S SHORT OF PLTS (AMONG OTHER REASONS). (FORGIVE THE ATTITUDE.)

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.

Small aircraft pilot inadvertently penetrates lax TCA while trying to play at being an aerial tourist of lax at night.