Pilot instructor on training flight may have entered dca TCA without approval.

Attributes
ACN	173651
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1185 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	173651
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other 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 practice instrument approachs at martinsburg, wv, (mrb) in an small aircraft based at dulles (with a flying club), we listened to dulles ATIS, contacted dulles approach, and were vectored into the tri-area TCA for a landing, all of which was uneventful. Instrument and student have operated at dulles for yrs, and both realized, on landing, that they had failed to hear the words, 'cleared to enter the TCA' or like phrase. While it is possible that ATC issued such a clearance during the sequence of vectors leading into the TCA, and that both pilots failed to hear the clearance, neither of us could confirm that the clearance was given. We think the controller just forgot and never noticed the omission. The instrument was preoccupied with the student's problems in handling a sequence of practice approachs and blames that for his lapse in not assuring that a TCA clearance was given. This is all the more ironic because this instrument has given a series of seminars on the new TCA, to over 1800 pilots, stressing the need to receive a TCA clearance. How embarrassing! But preoccupation with student performance, and yrs of not needing a TCA clearance over this route when being vectored by ATC resulted in a procedural mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT INSTRUCTOR ON TRAINING FLT MAY HAVE ENTERED DCA TCA WITHOUT APPROVAL.

Narrative: AFTER PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCHS AT MARTINSBURG, WV, (MRB) IN AN SMA BASED AT DULLES (WITH A FLYING CLUB), WE LISTENED TO DULLES ATIS, CONTACTED DULLES APCH, AND WERE VECTORED INTO THE TRI-AREA TCA FOR A LNDG, ALL OF WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. INSTR AND STUDENT HAVE OPERATED AT DULLES FOR YRS, AND BOTH REALIZED, ON LNDG, THAT THEY HAD FAILED TO HEAR THE WORDS, 'CLRED TO ENTER THE TCA' OR LIKE PHRASE. WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ATC ISSUED SUCH A CLRNC DURING THE SEQUENCE OF VECTORS LEADING INTO THE TCA, AND THAT BOTH PLTS FAILED TO HEAR THE CLRNC, NEITHER OF US COULD CONFIRM THAT THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN. WE THINK THE CTLR JUST FORGOT AND NEVER NOTICED THE OMISSION. THE INSTR WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE STUDENT'S PROBS IN HANDLING A SEQUENCE OF PRACTICE APCHS AND BLAMES THAT FOR HIS LAPSE IN NOT ASSURING THAT A TCA CLRNC WAS GIVEN. THIS IS ALL THE MORE IRONIC BECAUSE THIS INSTR HAS GIVEN A SERIES OF SEMINARS ON THE NEW TCA, TO OVER 1800 PLTS, STRESSING THE NEED TO RECEIVE A TCA CLRNC. HOW EMBARRASSING! BUT PREOCCUPATION WITH STUDENT PERFORMANCE, AND YRS OF NOT NEEDING A TCA CLRNC OVER THIS RTE WHEN BEING VECTORED BY ATC RESULTED IN A PROCEDURAL MISTAKE.

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.