Pilot trying to get clearance to transit TCA accused of penetrating TCA.

Attributes
ACN	146535
Time
Date	199005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	146535
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was approaching the san TCA to transition through the VFR corridor at 3500' MSL. My aircraft was positioned just offshore in the vicinity of torrey pines. I could see ahead at the corridor altitude clouds which would not allow a legal, safe transition. Realizing I couldn't make it through the corridor, I called san approach to request a clearance through the TCA. The base of the clouds appeared to be approximately 3000' MSL. The controller was saturated with VFR and IFR traffic. I was told I would be #4 for clearance through the TCA. The controller instructed another aircraft waiting for VFR clearance to wait in the vicinity north of del mar racetrack. I realized form listening to traffic that there were 4 aircraft besides myself, plus 2 or 3 aircraft on V23 making practice IFR approachs to palomar. This concerned me because to the best of my knowledge none of us really knew where the other was. Realizing I couldn't stay in the area where I was I made a turn to head back to the del mar racetrack area. In order to get below the arwy and our of the TCA I started a descent which I felt would get me out of the area. About this time the dog I was delivering back to its owner had a case of diarrhea. This momentarily distracted me while I got the dog settled down. When I got to the vicinity of the del mar racetrack I descended to 2000' MSL and waited for approximately 10-15 mins for approach to call me with a clearance through the TCA, which they did. Upon arriving at brown field ground control advised me to call san approach, which informed me I had penetrated the TCA and an fgt had to make a turn to avoid my aircraft. The controller asked me if I saw the fgt and I said no, which I didn't. Suggestions: eliminate split-level airspace in TCA sector D at san. IFR-VFR-corridor-military traffic need some type of control in case this situation arises. Too many aircraft funneling into a small area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TRYING TO GET CLRNC TO TRANSIT TCA ACCUSED OF PENETRATING TCA.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING THE SAN TCA TO TRANSITION THROUGH THE VFR CORRIDOR AT 3500' MSL. MY ACFT WAS POSITIONED JUST OFFSHORE IN THE VICINITY OF TORREY PINES. I COULD SEE AHEAD AT THE CORRIDOR ALT CLOUDS WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW A LEGAL, SAFE TRANSITION. REALIZING I COULDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE CORRIDOR, I CALLED SAN APCH TO REQUEST A CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA. THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS APPEARED TO BE APPROX 3000' MSL. THE CTLR WAS SATURATED WITH VFR AND IFR TFC. I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE #4 FOR CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ANOTHER ACFT WAITING FOR VFR CLRNC TO WAIT IN THE VICINITY N OF DEL MAR RACETRACK. I REALIZED FORM LISTENING TO TFC THAT THERE WERE 4 ACFT BESIDES MYSELF, PLUS 2 OR 3 ACFT ON V23 MAKING PRACTICE IFR APCHS TO PALOMAR. THIS CONCERNED ME BECAUSE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE NONE OF US REALLY KNEW WHERE THE OTHER WAS. REALIZING I COULDN'T STAY IN THE AREA WHERE I WAS I MADE A TURN TO HEAD BACK TO THE DEL MAR RACETRACK AREA. IN ORDER TO GET BELOW THE ARWY AND OUR OF THE TCA I STARTED A DSNT WHICH I FELT WOULD GET ME OUT OF THE AREA. ABOUT THIS TIME THE DOG I WAS DELIVERING BACK TO ITS OWNER HAD A CASE OF DIARRHEA. THIS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED ME WHILE I GOT THE DOG SETTLED DOWN. WHEN I GOT TO THE VICINITY OF THE DEL MAR RACETRACK I DSNDED TO 2000' MSL AND WAITED FOR APPROX 10-15 MINS FOR APCH TO CALL ME WITH A CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA, WHICH THEY DID. UPON ARRIVING AT BROWN FIELD GND CTL ADVISED ME TO CALL SAN APCH, WHICH INFORMED ME I HAD PENETRATED THE TCA AND AN FGT HAD TO MAKE A TURN TO AVOID MY ACFT. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I SAW THE FGT AND I SAID NO, WHICH I DIDN'T. SUGGESTIONS: ELIMINATE SPLIT-LEVEL AIRSPACE IN TCA SECTOR D AT SAN. IFR-VFR-CORRIDOR-MIL TFC NEED SOME TYPE OF CTL IN CASE THIS SITUATION ARISES. TOO MANY ACFT FUNNELING INTO A SMALL AREA.

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.