Approach controller was slow in answering and identing a PA28 on flight towards san. Says PA28 flew ...

Attributes
ACN	341938
Time
Date	199607
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 2 flight time total : 140
ASRS Report	341938
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The problem is the facility identifier. A devious pilot can circumvent the whole airspace divisions. During moderate traffic, a VFR aircraft called me. This position report was garbled. By the time he was idented, he had entered class C, flown through the orange county final, and exited their class C, on his way to our class C. He was legal in this, because he was in 2-WAY communication with ATC. However, he was in 2-WAY communication with the wrong ATC, and couldn't tell because from fim, to bur, to lax to sna, to crq to san to ont, we all call ourselves 'socal approach.' as a controller, I couldn't immediately tell where he was because his radio was standard quality. The whole problem would be solved if we went back to identing our airspace. We could say 'ontario approach' and then the pilot would no longer be legal when he flies through other class C. Or, we could stop providing advisories to VFR pilots. Or we could make everything class B. Or, we could tell all pilots to remain outside class C until idented (which would really slow us down).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR WAS SLOW IN ANSWERING AND IDENTING A PA28 ON FLT TOWARDS SAN. SAYS PA28 FLEW THROUGH SNA CLASS C AIRSPACE AND WAS FAST APCH SAN CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN IDENTED. RPTR THINKS EITHER DEVIOUS PLT OR CONFUSION OVER AIRSPACE IDENTIFIERS.

Narrative: THE PROB IS THE FACILITY IDENTIFIER. A DEVIOUS PLT CAN CIRCUMVENT THE WHOLE AIRSPACE DIVISIONS. DURING MODERATE TFC, A VFR ACFT CALLED ME. THIS POS RPT WAS GARBLED. BY THE TIME HE WAS IDENTED, HE HAD ENTERED CLASS C, FLOWN THROUGH THE ORANGE COUNTY FINAL, AND EXITED THEIR CLASS C, ON HIS WAY TO OUR CLASS C. HE WAS LEGAL IN THIS, BECAUSE HE WAS IN 2-WAY COM WITH ATC. HOWEVER, HE WAS IN 2-WAY COM WITH THE WRONG ATC, AND COULDN'T TELL BECAUSE FROM FIM, TO BUR, TO LAX TO SNA, TO CRQ TO SAN TO ONT, WE ALL CALL OURSELVES 'SOCAL APCH.' AS A CTLR, I COULDN'T IMMEDIATELY TELL WHERE HE WAS BECAUSE HIS RADIO WAS STANDARD QUALITY. THE WHOLE PROB WOULD BE SOLVED IF WE WENT BACK TO IDENTING OUR AIRSPACE. WE COULD SAY 'ONTARIO APCH' AND THEN THE PLT WOULD NO LONGER BE LEGAL WHEN HE FLIES THROUGH OTHER CLASS C. OR, WE COULD STOP PROVIDING ADVISORIES TO VFR PLTS. OR WE COULD MAKE EVERYTHING CLASS B. OR, WE COULD TELL ALL PLTS TO REMAIN OUTSIDE CLASS C UNTIL IDENTED (WHICH WOULD REALLY SLOW US DOWN).

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.

Approach controller was slow in answering and identing a PA28 on flight towards san. Says PA28 flew through sna class C airspace and was fast approach san class B airspace when idented. Reporter thinks either devious pilot or confusion over airspace identifiers.