Mechanic on test flight climbs into positive control area without contact.

Attributes
ACN	223086
Time
Date	199210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 500
ASRS Report	223086
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a mechanic at cable airport. I am also shop foreman and test pilot for some of the aircraft that we work on. We worked on a pressurized small aircraft for pressurizing problems. I had to test flight this aircraft to see if we fixed the problem. I took off and called ontario departure on 125.5 and told them that I was on a test flight to check out a pressurization problem and would like to take the aircraft up to altitude. They ok'd this and gave me a frequency to squawk which I did. They verified my altitude and I continued to climb over the mountains north of cable. I was around 14000 when ontario called back and told me to contact ZLA on I thought 128.55, which I did. I tried calling them 4-5 times with no response back. I know they are busy at times and it takes sometimes awhile to get back to me. I was busy checking out the pressurization and continued to climb to 20000 ft. I felt there was not a safety problem since it was an extremely clear VFR day and I had an observer mechanic on board. I descended down to altitude after we were assured the aircraft operated good and called ontario back. They told me to call the watch commander at left.a. I was late for a meeting so I didn't call until the next day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH ON TEST FLT CLBS INTO PCA WITHOUT CONTACT.

Narrative: I AM A MECH AT CABLE ARPT. I AM ALSO SHOP FOREMAN AND TEST PLT FOR SOME OF THE ACFT THAT WE WORK ON. WE WORKED ON A PRESSURIZED SMA FOR PRESSURIZING PROBLEMS. I HAD TO TEST FLT THIS ACFT TO SEE IF WE FIXED THE PROBLEM. I TOOK OFF AND CALLED ONTARIO DEP ON 125.5 AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS ON A TEST FLT TO CHK OUT A PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE ACFT UP TO ALT. THEY OK'D THIS AND GAVE ME A FREQ TO SQUAWK WHICH I DID. THEY VERIFIED MY ALT AND I CONTINUED TO CLB OVER THE MOUNTAINS N OF CABLE. I WAS AROUND 14000 WHEN ONTARIO CALLED BACK AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT ZLA ON I THOUGHT 128.55, WHICH I DID. I TRIED CALLING THEM 4-5 TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE BACK. I KNOW THEY ARE BUSY AT TIMES AND IT TAKES SOMETIMES AWHILE TO GET BACK TO ME. I WAS BUSY CHKING OUT THE PRESSURIZATION AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 20000 FT. I FELT THERE WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS AN EXTREMELY CLR VFR DAY AND I HAD AN OBSERVER MECH ON BOARD. I DSNDED DOWN TO ALT AFTER WE WERE ASSURED THE ACFT OPERATED GOOD AND CALLED ONTARIO BACK. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL THE WATCH COMMANDER AT L.A. I WAS LATE FOR A MEETING SO I DIDN'T CALL UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.

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.