Reporter rosts clearance to transit the sfo TCA while climbing from 2000' to 7500'. Due to ambiguous...

Attributes
ACN	154986
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sau
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : lga
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	154986
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

Was informed by ctrl after being handed off by previous controller that I was not authority/authorized to transition TCA. My belief is I was cleared by initial controller at initial communication to penetrate/transition TCA at cruise climb to 7500' from 2000'. I do not know how the miscom occurred. Was approximately 5500' at time of incident and was told to remain at that altitude until clear of TCA. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that he departed sonoma skypark en route to santa catalina. He contacted bay approach near hamilton aaf and told the controller that he wanted to head south along the coast line and climb to 7500'. He does not remember whether he explicitly received a TCA clearance or whether the controller told him he was cleared into the TCA. As he entered the TCA near tiburon, while climbing through 5000', he was changed to the next controller who immediately questioned his being in the TCA. Controller then cleared him to maintain 5500' and continue south down the coast. There was no indication of further actions by the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ROSTS CLRNC TO TRANSIT THE SFO TCA WHILE CLIMBING FROM 2000' TO 7500'. DUE TO AMBIGUOUS WORDING AND GENERAL MISCOM, THE REPORTER IS QUESTIONED ABOUT BEING IN THE TCA BY THE NEXT CTLR.

Narrative: WAS INFORMED BY CTRL AFTER BEING HANDED OFF BY PREVIOUS CTLR THAT I WAS NOT AUTH TO TRANSITION TCA. MY BELIEF IS I WAS CLRED BY INITIAL CTLR AT INITIAL COM TO PENETRATE/TRANSITION TCA AT CRUISE CLB TO 7500' FROM 2000'. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE MISCOM OCCURRED. WAS APPROX 5500' AT TIME OF INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD TO REMAIN AT THAT ALT UNTIL CLR OF TCA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT HE DEPARTED SONOMA SKYPARK ENRTE TO SANTA CATALINA. HE CONTACTED BAY APCH NEAR HAMILTON AAF AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT HE WANTED TO HEAD S ALONG THE COAST LINE AND CLB TO 7500'. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER WHETHER HE EXPLICITLY RECEIVED A TCA CLRNC OR WHETHER THE CTLR TOLD HIM HE WAS CLRED INTO THE TCA. AS HE ENTERED THE TCA NEAR TIBURON, WHILE CLBING THROUGH 5000', HE WAS CHANGED TO THE NEXT CTLR WHO IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED HIS BEING IN THE TCA. CTLR THEN CLRED HIM TO MAINTAIN 5500' AND CONTINUE S DOWN THE COAST. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FURTHER ACTIONS BY THE FAA.

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.

Reporter rosts clearance to transit the sfo TCA while climbing from 2000' to 7500'. Due to ambiguous wording and general miscom, the reporter is questioned about being in the TCA by the next controller.