GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace. Entered san TCA at 2000' in D area.

Attributes
ACN	83728
Time
Date	198803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san tower : myf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1980 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	83728
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Single pilot VFR approaching san TCA from north. Read TCA chart north of oceanside, intending to fly below it to myf. Then had to concentrate on flying the aircraft, and watching for traffic. Went down coastline and turned to myf long downwind, after crossing extended runway center line (by RNAV set to myf). My memory of TCA chart area 'D' said 25/15, which my brain interpreted as avoiding the TCA, so I flew in area D at 2000 MSL. Myf tower informed me I was in the TCA. When I parked the plane, I examined the TCA chart again and (of course) 25/15 and 125/68 is the TCA in D. My suggestion is to reissue the tagn charts (terminal area graphic notice), because they tell you where to fly, instead of where not to fly. In this case, it could suggest flight down the coastline at 1500 MSL until crossing the myf extended runway line (it would have the NAS miramar jet fighter traffic marked as 'crossing the shoreline at 2000' or whatever it is).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. ENTERED SAN TCA AT 2000' IN D AREA.

Narrative: SINGLE PLT VFR APCHING SAN TCA FROM N. READ TCA CHART N OF OCEANSIDE, INTENDING TO FLY BELOW IT TO MYF. THEN HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON FLYING THE ACFT, AND WATCHING FOR TFC. WENT DOWN COASTLINE AND TURNED TO MYF LONG DOWNWIND, AFTER XING EXTENDED RWY CENTER LINE (BY RNAV SET TO MYF). MY MEMORY OF TCA CHART AREA 'D' SAID 25/15, WHICH MY BRAIN INTERPRETED AS AVOIDING THE TCA, SO I FLEW IN AREA D AT 2000 MSL. MYF TWR INFORMED ME I WAS IN THE TCA. WHEN I PARKED THE PLANE, I EXAMINED THE TCA CHART AGAIN AND (OF COURSE) 25/15 AND 125/68 IS THE TCA IN D. MY SUGGESTION IS TO REISSUE THE TAGN CHARTS (TERMINAL AREA GRAPHIC NOTICE), BECAUSE THEY TELL YOU WHERE TO FLY, INSTEAD OF WHERE NOT TO FLY. IN THIS CASE, IT COULD SUGGEST FLT DOWN THE COASTLINE AT 1500 MSL UNTIL XING THE MYF EXTENDED RWY LINE (IT WOULD HAVE THE NAS MIRAMAR JET FIGHTER TFC MARKED AS 'XING THE SHORELINE AT 2000' OR WHATEVER IT IS).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.