GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of san TCA.

Attributes
ACN	86160
Time
Date	198804
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san airport : myf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 550
ASRS Report	86160
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On previous flight same day, coast approach control asked me to maintain 2000' along coastal route due to air show going on at el toro. This possibly led to confusion reported. On departure from myf, planned to climb to 4500' northbound up coast, but leveled at 2000' to get permission from san diego department control (also miramar) to further climb (worried about air show). Was in contact with san diego departure and assigned a transponder code and told to wait 'for two minutes' as they were busy. When they called back and verified altitude, they said we were in their TCA and to call when on the ground. I called the supervisor and he and I discussed it. He said he would 'not write this up.' I may have strayed into the TCA but thought I was in radar and radio contact etc and was being controled. Am filling this NASA report in case the controllers involved have a change of heart and do file a report. Lesson learned, don't enter a TCA even if you have a squawk and are talking to them, don't assume you have clearance. Make them tell you that you are cleared into TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF SAN TCA.

Narrative: ON PREVIOUS FLT SAME DAY, COAST APCH CTL ASKED ME TO MAINTAIN 2000' ALONG COASTAL ROUTE DUE TO AIR SHOW GOING ON AT EL TORO. THIS POSSIBLY LED TO CONFUSION REPORTED. ON DEP FROM MYF, PLANNED TO CLIMB TO 4500' NBOUND UP COAST, BUT LEVELED AT 2000' TO GET PERMISSION FROM SAN DIEGO DEPT CTL (ALSO MIRAMAR) TO FURTHER CLIMB (WORRIED ABOUT AIR SHOW). WAS IN CONTACT WITH SAN DIEGO DEP AND ASSIGNED A TRANSPONDER CODE AND TOLD TO WAIT 'FOR TWO MINUTES' AS THEY WERE BUSY. WHEN THEY CALLED BACK AND VERIFIED ALT, THEY SAID WE WERE IN THEIR TCA AND TO CALL WHEN ON THE GND. I CALLED THE SUPERVISOR AND HE AND I DISCUSSED IT. HE SAID HE WOULD 'NOT WRITE THIS UP.' I MAY HAVE STRAYED INTO THE TCA BUT THOUGHT I WAS IN RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT ETC AND WAS BEING CTLED. AM FILLING THIS NASA REPORT IN CASE THE CTLRS INVOLVED HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART AND DO FILE A REPORT. LESSON LEARNED, DON'T ENTER A TCA EVEN IF YOU HAVE A SQUAWK AND ARE TALKING TO THEM, DON'T ASSUME YOU HAVE CLRNC. MAKE THEM TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE CLRED INTO TCA.

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.