Entered air traffic area without contact.

Attributes
ACN	102137
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 2042 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	102137
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 845 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	102543
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Myself and a friend, owner of an small aircraft, were returning from chino airport flying north of lgb over the 91 freeway going to his home base--compton airport at 1200' MSL. After landing at compton airport an la sheriff officer approached the aircraft and stated that we had violated the northern border of lgb air traffic area and he also stated that we were at 750' MSL. He also stated that he had observed us from la county sheriff helicopter. He said that he would not cite us, nor make out a report, but he would report the incident to the FAA. He stated his name was XXX. He did check the aircraft's original altimeter and found it set right. Both friend and myself were astonished at the accusations and said to the sheriff that we would not knowingly violate lgb air traffic area or go below 1000' AGL. Since the incident we have both investigated our route and realized that we did go through the northern edge of the lgb air traffic area. I have flown in the lgb area for over 30 yrs and have kept my own airplane at lgb. I have always used the 91 freeway for north boundary (and/or alondra ave), the la river for the west boundary, san gabriel river/065 freeway and the beach for south boundary. I have since secured a copy of la TCA and have been enlightened to the extent that these assumed boundaries used by pilots and controllers alike are not accurate and fall short of the air traffic area area allotted for lgb. I also must emphasize that this inadvertent incident did not involve any accident, near miss, or criminal act. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he misstated lgb as TCA when he meant air traffic area in the report. Freeway does encroach on air traffic area. Also states very sure never as low as 750'. Antique aircraft being flown has no kollsman adjustment, but knowledge of area makes him very aware of ground proximity. Sectional chart in use at time of incident. Normally flies IFR so does not carry TCA chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED ATA WITHOUT CONTACT.

Narrative: MYSELF AND A FRIEND, OWNER OF AN SMA, WERE RETURNING FROM CHINO ARPT FLYING N OF LGB OVER THE 91 FREEWAY GOING TO HIS HOME BASE--COMPTON ARPT AT 1200' MSL. AFTER LNDG AT COMPTON ARPT AN LA SHERIFF OFFICER APCHED THE ACFT AND STATED THAT WE HAD VIOLATED THE NORTHERN BORDER OF LGB ATA AND HE ALSO STATED THAT WE WERE AT 750' MSL. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED US FROM LA COUNTY SHERIFF HELI. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT CITE US, NOR MAKE OUT A RPT, BUT HE WOULD RPT THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA. HE STATED HIS NAME WAS XXX. HE DID CHK THE ACFT'S ORIGINAL ALTIMETER AND FOUND IT SET RIGHT. BOTH FRIEND AND MYSELF WERE ASTONISHED AT THE ACCUSATIONS AND SAID TO THE SHERIFF THAT WE WOULD NOT KNOWINGLY VIOLATE LGB ATA OR GO BELOW 1000' AGL. SINCE THE INCIDENT WE HAVE BOTH INVESTIGATED OUR ROUTE AND REALIZED THAT WE DID GO THROUGH THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE LGB ATA. I HAVE FLOWN IN THE LGB AREA FOR OVER 30 YRS AND HAVE KEPT MY OWN AIRPLANE AT LGB. I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE 91 FREEWAY FOR N BOUNDARY (AND/OR ALONDRA AVE), THE LA RIVER FOR THE W BOUNDARY, SAN GABRIEL RIVER/065 FREEWAY AND THE BEACH FOR S BOUNDARY. I HAVE SINCE SECURED A COPY OF LA TCA AND HAVE BEEN ENLIGHTENED TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE ASSUMED BOUNDARIES USED BY PLTS AND CTLRS ALIKE ARE NOT ACCURATE AND FALL SHORT OF THE ATA AREA ALLOTTED FOR LGB. I ALSO MUST EMPHASIZE THAT THIS INADVERTENT INCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE ANY ACCIDENT, NEAR MISS, OR CRIMINAL ACT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE MISSTATED LGB AS TCA WHEN HE MEANT ATA IN THE RPT. FREEWAY DOES ENCROACH ON ATA. ALSO STATES VERY SURE NEVER AS LOW AS 750'. ANTIQUE ACFT BEING FLOWN HAS NO KOLLSMAN ADJUSTMENT, BUT KNOWLEDGE OF AREA MAKES HIM VERY AWARE OF GND PROX. SECTIONAL CHART IN USE AT TIME OF INCIDENT. NORMALLY FLIES IFR SO DOES NOT CARRY TCA CHART.

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.