Narrative:

I was flying on a heading of 120 degree proceeding RNAV direct to a waypoint established at celin intersection. I called regional approach to advise them I was at 4500 ft and wished to land at love field. The controller cleared me to fly direct to 13R at love and fly beneath the TCA. I turned from 120 degree to proceed direct to love field and stayed at 4500'. I believe that I entered the sector of the TCA where the base was 5000'. After flying for a minute or so the controller who seemed quite harried asked my altitude. I replied 4500'. She advised me to descend as I was entering the TCA. I descended immediately to 2900'. She then asked my altitude and I replied 2900'. She said you're still in the TCA and that she did not clear me into the TCA. The base of the TCA along my flight path was 5000'. At no time did the controller advise me to maintain or descend to any specific altitude. I feet that this controller had me confused with another target. She said she lost my transponder encoder return and requested me to recycle. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated only about 5 NM short of celin intersection when made turn. Also noted was east side of garza little elm reservoir so only possibility which he does not think is case is he could have caught corner of small section of TCA where floor is 4000. Fact 2000 floor sector so far west of where he was and controller actions makes him almost certain she had switched call signs with another aircraft. Has heard nothing more from FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP SMT REPORTED TO HAVE ENTERED TCA WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON A HEADING OF 120 DEG PROCEEDING RNAV DIRECT TO A WAYPOINT ESTABLISHED AT CELIN INTERSECTION. I CALLED REGIONAL APPROACH TO ADVISE THEM I WAS AT 4500 FT AND WISHED TO LAND AT LOVE FIELD. THE CTLR CLRED ME TO FLY DIRECT TO 13R AT LOVE AND FLY BENEATH THE TCA. I TURNED FROM 120 DEG TO PROCEED DIRECT TO LOVE FIELD AND STAYED AT 4500'. I BELIEVE THAT I ENTERED THE SECTOR OF THE TCA WHERE THE BASE WAS 5000'. AFTER FLYING FOR A MINUTE OR SO THE CTLR WHO SEEMED QUITE HARRIED ASKED MY ALTITUDE. I REPLIED 4500'. SHE ADVISED ME TO DESCEND AS I WAS ENTERING THE TCA. I DESCENDED IMMEDIATELY TO 2900'. SHE THEN ASKED MY ALTITUDE AND I REPLIED 2900'. SHE SAID YOU'RE STILL IN THE TCA AND THAT SHE DID NOT CLEAR ME INTO THE TCA. THE BASE OF THE TCA ALONG MY FLIGHT PATH WAS 5000'. AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR ADVISE ME TO MAINTAIN OR DESCEND TO ANY SPECIFIC ALTITUDE. I FEET THAT THIS CTLR HAD ME CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER TARGET. SHE SAID SHE LOST MY TRANSPONDER ENCODER RETURN AND REQUESTED ME TO RECYCLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER STATED ONLY ABOUT 5 NM SHORT OF CELIN INTERSECTION WHEN MADE TURN. ALSO NOTED WAS EAST SIDE OF GARZA LITTLE ELM RESERVOIR SO ONLY POSSIBILITY WHICH HE DOES NOT THINK IS CASE IS HE COULD HAVE CAUGHT CORNER OF SMALL SECTION OF TCA WHERE FLOOR IS 4000. FACT 2000 FLOOR SECTOR SO FAR WEST OF WHERE HE WAS AND CTLR ACTIONS MAKES HIM ALMOST CERTAIN SHE HAD SWITCHED CALL SIGNS WITH ANOTHER ACFT. HAS HEARD NOTHING MORE FROM FAA.

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.