A piper cherokee pilot was directed to exit toa class D airspace after being handed off by TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	447971
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : toa.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 1368 flight time type : 644
ASRS Report	447971
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

When departing chino, the approach controller gave me a new frequency and said the new controller would have my clearance. The new controller gave me an altitude (3000 ft), 250 degree heading and told me to intercept V394 in VFR. After intercept I was switched to another controller who reiterated 3000 ft and maybe V394. I was switched to a third controller who told me to 'fly towards torrance.' I followed the standard procedure of flying direct to seal beach VOR and departing on a 200 degree heading. About this time I was switched to 127.2 (the approach controller for toa runway 29R). I realized about this time I had never been given the words 'cleared to toa airport...' I started to ask the 127.2 controller for the toa approach but was told to stand by. I picked up the toa localizer and started inbound. The controller came back on and after apologizing for the delay told me to contact the tower. I called the tower, reported my position as 'over the bridge' which is the location of the bason OM and asked for the approach. I was told to depart class D airspace immediately and contact approach. I started a right 180 degree turn. The tower then asked my position which I gave as north of the bridge. I was again told to depart class D airspace. Almost immediately, the tower cleared me for a straight in to runway 29L. I accept the clearance and took off the hood and landed. Torrance increased their class D airspace in may. This change only showed up on the la TCA chart of jul 1999 and has yet to appear on commercial charts. Also the tower letter to airman was given only to FBO's at toa and maybe a few others and posted on the internet. It is questionable if a nprm was issued. Also the tower believes their controled airspace extends 5 mi and it is unsafe to make your first call at the bridge although the chart has the bridge just outside of the class D (vincent thomas bridge). I should have gone into a holding pattern out over the water until the 127.2 controller had time to give me an approach clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER CHEROKEE PLT WAS DIRECTED TO EXIT TOA CLASS D AIRSPACE AFTER BEING HANDED OFF BY TRACON.

Narrative: WHEN DEPARTING CHINO, THE APCH CTLR GAVE ME A NEW FREQ AND SAID THE NEW CTLR WOULD HAVE MY CLRNC. THE NEW CTLR GAVE ME AN ALT (3000 FT), 250 DEG HDG AND TOLD ME TO INTERCEPT V394 IN VFR. AFTER INTERCEPT I WAS SWITCHED TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO REITERATED 3000 FT AND MAYBE V394. I WAS SWITCHED TO A THIRD CTLR WHO TOLD ME TO 'FLY TOWARDS TORRANCE.' I FOLLOWED THE STANDARD PROC OF FLYING DIRECT TO SEAL BEACH VOR AND DEPARTING ON A 200 DEG HDG. ABOUT THIS TIME I WAS SWITCHED TO 127.2 (THE APCH CTLR FOR TOA RWY 29R). I REALIZED ABOUT THIS TIME I HAD NEVER BEEN GIVEN THE WORDS 'CLRED TO TOA ARPT...' I STARTED TO ASK THE 127.2 CTLR FOR THE TOA APCH BUT WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. I PICKED UP THE TOA LOC AND STARTED INBOUND. THE CTLR CAME BACK ON AND AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR THE DELAY TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I CALLED THE TWR, RPTED MY POS AS 'OVER THE BRIDGE' WHICH IS THE LOCATION OF THE BASON OM AND ASKED FOR THE APCH. I WAS TOLD TO DEPART CLASS D AIRSPACE IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACT APCH. I STARTED A R 180 DEG TURN. THE TWR THEN ASKED MY POS WHICH I GAVE AS N OF THE BRIDGE. I WAS AGAIN TOLD TO DEPART CLASS D AIRSPACE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE TWR CLRED ME FOR A STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 29L. I ACCEPT THE CLRNC AND TOOK OFF THE HOOD AND LANDED. TORRANCE INCREASED THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE IN MAY. THIS CHANGE ONLY SHOWED UP ON THE LA TCA CHART OF JUL 1999 AND HAS YET TO APPEAR ON COMMERCIAL CHARTS. ALSO THE TWR LETTER TO AIRMAN WAS GIVEN ONLY TO FBO'S AT TOA AND MAYBE A FEW OTHERS AND POSTED ON THE INTERNET. IT IS QUESTIONABLE IF A NPRM WAS ISSUED. ALSO THE TWR BELIEVES THEIR CTLED AIRSPACE EXTENDS 5 MI AND IT IS UNSAFE TO MAKE YOUR FIRST CALL AT THE BRIDGE ALTHOUGH THE CHART HAS THE BRIDGE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS D (VINCENT THOMAS BRIDGE). I SHOULD HAVE GONE INTO A HOLDING PATTERN OUT OVER THE WATER UNTIL THE 127.2 CTLR HAD TIME TO GIVE ME AN APCH CLRNC.

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.