Narrative:

Was utilizing socal approach flight following on a VFR flight from sbp to toa. Flying VFR on top of overcast. When I approached los angeles basin, I asked controller to use lax sfra going southwest. Controller terminated flight following just north of smo VOR and advised me to squawk the transponder code for using lax sfra and the sfra unicom frequency. I thought he would stay with me to south side of lax sfra (as I have done with flight following many times before). I was going to ask for vectors and was caught unprepared. Ground was not visible for reference (being above the overcast). I was inadequately prepared to navigation the lax sfra by the smo VOR (on the 132 degree radial). It took a min to get prepared and get set up. I wandered off a direct course across the sfra area going southwest. Adding to my confusion was my inability to know when I was in, and then clear, of the lax sfra as it is defined by ground reference (that I could not see being above the overcast). Next time, better preparations in case flight following is terminated unexpectedly. Will be set up for own navigation at all times. Recommendations: 1) to have lax sfra north and south boundaries defined by navigation fixes (lax VOR radials crossing the smo 132 degree radial flight path would be good) in addition to ground references to enhance awareness when flying VFR on top. 2) when lax is overcast, recommend socal approach try and avoid terminating VFR flight following until aircraft across to avoid same situation. Not a good area in which to be lost due to conflict with other traffic.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INST PLT, FLYING VFR IN THE LOS ANGELES BASIN, EXITED THE VFR CORRIDOR WITHOUT SCT'S PERMISSION.

Narrative: WAS UTILIZING SOCAL APCH FLT FOLLOWING ON A VFR FLT FROM SBP TO TOA. FLYING VFR ON TOP OF OVCST. WHEN I APCHED LOS ANGELES BASIN, I ASKED CTLR TO USE LAX SFRA GOING SW. CTLR TERMINATED FLT FOLLOWING JUST N OF SMO VOR AND ADVISED ME TO SQUAWK THE XPONDER CODE FOR USING LAX SFRA AND THE SFRA UNICOM FREQ. I THOUGHT HE WOULD STAY WITH ME TO S SIDE OF LAX SFRA (AS I HAVE DONE WITH FLT FOLLOWING MANY TIMES BEFORE). I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR VECTORS AND WAS CAUGHT UNPREPARED. GND WAS NOT VISIBLE FOR REF (BEING ABOVE THE OVCST). I WAS INADEQUATELY PREPARED TO NAV THE LAX SFRA BY THE SMO VOR (ON THE 132 DEG RADIAL). IT TOOK A MIN TO GET PREPARED AND GET SET UP. I WANDERED OFF A DIRECT COURSE ACROSS THE SFRA AREA GOING SW. ADDING TO MY CONFUSION WAS MY INABILITY TO KNOW WHEN I WAS IN, AND THEN CLR, OF THE LAX SFRA AS IT IS DEFINED BY GND REF (THAT I COULD NOT SEE BEING ABOVE THE OVCST). NEXT TIME, BETTER PREPARATIONS IN CASE FLT FOLLOWING IS TERMINATED UNEXPECTEDLY. WILL BE SET UP FOR OWN NAV AT ALL TIMES. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) TO HAVE LAX SFRA N AND S BOUNDARIES DEFINED BY NAV FIXES (LAX VOR RADIALS XING THE SMO 132 DEG RADIAL FLT PATH WOULD BE GOOD) IN ADDITION TO GND REFS TO ENHANCE AWARENESS WHEN FLYING VFR ON TOP. 2) WHEN LAX IS OVCST, RECOMMEND SOCAL APCH TRY AND AVOID TERMINATING VFR FLT FOLLOWING UNTIL ACFT ACROSS TO AVOID SAME SIT. NOT A GOOD AREA IN WHICH TO BE LOST DUE TO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC.

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.