Narrative:

On a pleasure flight from petawina airport to palo alto, I decided to go via the san francisco skyline. I contacted bay approach and requested clearance into the TCA for flight via the san francisco skyline and south direct to palo alto airport. I was asked to squawk XXXX and identify. Upon receiving clearance into the TCA I proceeded as requested. After flying past the san francisco skyline headed south. This flight path then brings me in over sfo international. Bay approach was very busy and I was unable to contact them before entering the inner circle of the TCA. At this point I was 5 mi from sfo at 2500 ft. Bay approach then established contact and stated he understood I would advise before turning south. This was not understood during our initial contact. I then stated I would like to continue south. Bay approach again cleared me into the TCA which caused me some confusion. I was then handed off to sfo tower. I was now at 3000 to remain VFR. Sfo tower had me descend to 1500 ft AGL and follow the bayshore freeway. While descending I noticed a slight drain on my ammeter. I then turned off unneeded radios. After passing out of the TCA inner ring I was asked to squawk 1200 and contact san carlos tower, my flight path brings me immediately into sql air traffic area. I was cleared direct to palo alto which requires flight overhead. A small portion of the sfo TCA is 0015 over san carlos. I began a descent to planned 1700 ft and turned toward san carlos. Again I noticed the ammeter showing a discharge. I shut everything off except 1 radio and recycled the master switch. While doing so my descent had stopped and I was still level at 1500 ft. By this time I was over san carlos. I immediately descended and remained clear of the TCA. In hindsight I should have paid closer attention to altitudes and more thoroughly planned my descent. However bay approach could have also been more precise in the clearance given.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA REQUEST SIGHT SEEING RTE WHICH BRINGS HIM INTO TCA. CLRNC GIVEN BUT NOT CLRLY UNDERSTOOD. ENTERS TCA.

Narrative: ON A PLEASURE FLT FROM PETAWINA ARPT TO PALO ALTO, I DECIDED TO GO VIA THE SAN FRANCISCO SKYLINE. I CONTACTED BAY APCH AND REQUESTED CLRNC INTO THE TCA FOR FLT VIA THE SAN FRANCISCO SKYLINE AND S DIRECT TO PALO ALTO ARPT. I WAS ASKED TO SQUAWK XXXX AND IDENT. UPON RECEIVING CLRNC INTO THE TCA I PROCEEDED AS REQUESTED. AFTER FLYING PAST THE SAN FRANCISCO SKYLINE HEADED S. THIS FLT PATH THEN BRINGS ME IN OVER SFO INTL. BAY APCH WAS VERY BUSY AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THEM BEFORE ENTERING THE INNER CIRCLE OF THE TCA. AT THIS POINT I WAS 5 MI FROM SFO AT 2500 FT. BAY APCH THEN ESTABLISHED CONTACT AND STATED HE UNDERSTOOD I WOULD ADVISE BEFORE TURNING S. THIS WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD DURING OUR INITIAL CONTACT. I THEN STATED I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE S. BAY APCH AGAIN CLRED ME INTO THE TCA WHICH CAUSED ME SOME CONFUSION. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO SFO TWR. I WAS NOW AT 3000 TO REMAIN VFR. SFO TWR HAD ME DSND TO 1500 FT AGL AND FOLLOW THE BAYSHORE FREEWAY. WHILE DSNDING I NOTICED A SLIGHT DRAIN ON MY AMMETER. I THEN TURNED OFF UNNEEDED RADIOS. AFTER PASSING OUT OF THE TCA INNER RING I WAS ASKED TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CONTACT SAN CARLOS TWR, MY FLT PATH BRINGS ME IMMEDIATELY INTO SQL ATA. I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO PALO ALTO WHICH REQUIRES FLT OVERHEAD. A SMALL PORTION OF THE SFO TCA IS 0015 OVER SAN CARLOS. I BEGAN A DSCNT TO PLANNED 1700 FT AND TURNED TOWARD SAN CARLOS. AGAIN I NOTICED THE AMMETER SHOWING A DISCHARGE. I SHUT EVERYTHING OFF EXCEPT 1 RADIO AND RECYCLED THE MASTER SWITCH. WHILE DOING SO MY DSCNT HAD STOPPED AND I WAS STILL LEVEL AT 1500 FT. BY THIS TIME I WAS OVER SAN CARLOS. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED AND REMAINED CLR OF THE TCA. IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE PAID CLOSER ATTN TO ALTS AND MORE THOROUGHLY PLANNED MY DSCNT. HOWEVER BAY APCH COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN MORE PRECISE IN THE CLRNC GIVEN.

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.