Pilot transiting sfr corridor alters plan to follow coast, enters TCA.

Attributes
ACN	156165
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	156165
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departing the corridor over lax northbound, the normal procedure is to descend below 4000'. I had filed a flight plan for 4500' and had intentions of going directly over the mountain range. My passenger asked me to go along the coast and thinking I was well within the airspace allowing this, I proceeded north on the coast. I received a call on the radio stating, 'what is your altitude?' I replied 4500', and there was no further communication. I thought it was a strange call, so I started looking around at possible reasons when I suddenly realized I must be within the TCA and immediately descended below 4000 to 2500'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TRANSITING SFR CORRIDOR ALTERS PLAN TO FOLLOW COAST, ENTERS TCA.

Narrative: ON DEPARTING THE CORRIDOR OVER LAX NBND, THE NORMAL PROC IS TO DSND BELOW 4000'. I HAD FILED A FLT PLAN FOR 4500' AND HAD INTENTIONS OF GOING DIRECTLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. MY PAX ASKED ME TO GO ALONG THE COAST AND THINKING I WAS WELL WITHIN THE AIRSPACE ALLOWING THIS, I PROCEEDED N ON THE COAST. I RECEIVED A CALL ON THE RADIO STATING, 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' I REPLIED 4500', AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM. I THOUGHT IT WAS A STRANGE CALL, SO I STARTED LOOKING AROUND AT POSSIBLE REASONS WHEN I SUDDENLY REALIZED I MUST BE WITHIN THE TCA AND IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BELOW 4000 TO 2500'.

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.