Small aircraft penetrates edge of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	160706
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	160706
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After completing 2 hours of an IMC flight on an IFR flight plan at olm and tiw, to keep up on my IFR currency, I cancelled the IFR flight plan at tiw and proceeded VFR to S50, 15 NM north and e--about a 6 min flight. Staying below the sea TCA where the base begins at 1600', I flew at 1400', and using familiar landmarks to keep myself south of the 5 NM boundary where the airspace began at the surface. When I got home I was looking at the sea TCA chart and found that the latest revision to the chart had extended the south boundary from 5 NM to 6 NM. Using my old familiar landmarks to keep me out of the TCA, now had me enter the TCA for a 2 mi stretch flying w-e, at about 5.5 NM (no DME in aircraft). I was flying a very short flight in an area I thought I was very familiar with, using landmarks I've used for over 4 yrs, so I did not use the sea TCA chart. I always try to find all the new changes as each new chart comes out, but I had missed the change from 5 NM to 6 NM. I had not approached the airport from this direction since the new chart came out. One idea is to always have the TCA chart out, even on such a short flight, in familiar areas. Another is that the new changes on a chart be highlighted somehow, or underlined, or a paragraph be written explaining the new changes in the chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PENETRATES EDGE OF TCA.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING 2 HRS OF AN IMC FLT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT OLM AND TIW, TO KEEP UP ON MY IFR CURRENCY, I CANCELLED THE IFR FLT PLAN AT TIW AND PROCEEDED VFR TO S50, 15 NM N AND E--ABOUT A 6 MIN FLT. STAYING BELOW THE SEA TCA WHERE THE BASE BEGINS AT 1600', I FLEW AT 1400', AND USING FAMILIAR LANDMARKS TO KEEP MYSELF S OF THE 5 NM BOUNDARY WHERE THE AIRSPACE BEGAN AT THE SURFACE. WHEN I GOT HOME I WAS LOOKING AT THE SEA TCA CHART AND FOUND THAT THE LATEST REVISION TO THE CHART HAD EXTENDED THE S BOUNDARY FROM 5 NM TO 6 NM. USING MY OLD FAMILIAR LANDMARKS TO KEEP ME OUT OF THE TCA, NOW HAD ME ENTER THE TCA FOR A 2 MI STRETCH FLYING W-E, AT ABOUT 5.5 NM (NO DME IN ACFT). I WAS FLYING A VERY SHORT FLT IN AN AREA I THOUGHT I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH, USING LANDMARKS I'VE USED FOR OVER 4 YRS, SO I DID NOT USE THE SEA TCA CHART. I ALWAYS TRY TO FIND ALL THE NEW CHANGES AS EACH NEW CHART COMES OUT, BUT I HAD MISSED THE CHANGE FROM 5 NM TO 6 NM. I HAD NOT APCHED THE ARPT FROM THIS DIRECTION SINCE THE NEW CHART CAME OUT. ONE IDEA IS TO ALWAYS HAVE THE TCA CHART OUT, EVEN ON SUCH A SHORT FLT, IN FAMILIAR AREAS. ANOTHER IS THAT THE NEW CHANGES ON A CHART BE HIGHLIGHTED SOMEHOW, OR UNDERLINED, OR A PARAGRAPH BE WRITTEN EXPLAINING THE NEW CHANGES IN THE CHART.

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.