Narrative:

I was flying east from indiana on V10 to jxn VOR, then outbnd on V10. My destination airport was det to the northeast of dtw. I had my WAC chart which was current at that time. (Please note that make up of the airspace on the WAC made no mention of minimum or maximum altitude or TCA). This flight was VFR on a day with 15 mi or more visibility. No flight plan was on file. I made my first call to approach 20-25 mi out from the TCA boundary. I was flying at 5500' MSL. I told the controller my altitude, my destination, aircraft type and my mode C was on and working. I was told by the controller to 'stand by.' after 3 or 4 more of these 'stand by' orders, I found myself 10-15 mi south of dtw! During my 'stand by' I only heard the controller talk with one other aircraft! In my opinion, this controller seemed to be disinterested in handling my request for clearance into detroit TCA. There have been other instances when I have had a very hard time with these people. At least in these other occasions I had been told to 'avoid or stand by' for a clearance and was given a code to squawk--something which made my decision to stay outside the TCA, under, over, or avoid altogether. I know if not given clearance to stay out of the TCA. And I follow this procedure every time. However, in this instance I believe that the controller's lack of direction led me into the TCA by accident. When I was 10-15 mi south of dtw the controller finally gave me clearance and told me to descend to 4000'. I did as he requested. There were no conflicts with any other aircraft and the rest of the flight into det was uneventful. Now, after I explained in a letter to the FAA what had happened, they are finding me at fault. I don't agree. I don't know who the controller was, but due to his lack of attention to my needs and knowing my intentions, I don't understand why I was so neglected. He knew my present position, my mode C was on, so my 1200 and my altitude were on his screen. He also knew my intent to transit the TCA to det. I feel mishandled by ATC and this controller should also receive a reprimand. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: confirmed that small aircraft continued along V10 knowingly right into the TCA. He tries to blame the controller for the violation even though admitting he knew he should not enter west/O clearance. His attitude seemed to be the controller was not busy in his perception and he should have cleared him before he entered. He gave opinion dtw controllers do not want to handle the VFR traffic and was antagonistic toward them. I pointed out that the WAC chart did show the top altitude on the TCA and he admitted he knew that. Was out of town for some time when FAA letter of investigation arrived, so was late in answering and is looking for any out. End result is FAA has suspended his license for 60 days.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION TCA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING E FROM INDIANA ON V10 TO JXN VOR, THEN OUTBND ON V10. MY DEST ARPT WAS DET TO THE NE OF DTW. I HAD MY WAC CHART WHICH WAS CURRENT AT THAT TIME. (PLEASE NOTE THAT MAKE UP OF THE AIRSPACE ON THE WAC MADE NO MENTION OF MINIMUM OR MAX ALT OR TCA). THIS FLT WAS VFR ON A DAY WITH 15 MI OR MORE VISIBILITY. NO FLT PLAN WAS ON FILE. I MADE MY FIRST CALL TO APCH 20-25 MI OUT FROM THE TCA BOUNDARY. I WAS FLYING AT 5500' MSL. I TOLD THE CTLR MY ALT, MY DEST, ACFT TYPE AND MY MODE C WAS ON AND WORKING. I WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR TO 'STAND BY.' AFTER 3 OR 4 MORE OF THESE 'STAND BY' ORDERS, I FOUND MYSELF 10-15 MI S OF DTW! DURING MY 'STAND BY' I ONLY HEARD THE CTLR TALK WITH ONE OTHER ACFT! IN MY OPINION, THIS CTLR SEEMED TO BE DISINTERESTED IN HANDLING MY REQUEST FOR CLRNC INTO DETROIT TCA. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INSTANCES WHEN I HAVE HAD A VERY HARD TIME WITH THESE PEOPLE. AT LEAST IN THESE OTHER OCCASIONS I HAD BEEN TOLD TO 'AVOID OR STAND BY' FOR A CLRNC AND WAS GIVEN A CODE TO SQUAWK--SOMETHING WHICH MADE MY DECISION TO STAY OUTSIDE THE TCA, UNDER, OVER, OR AVOID ALTOGETHER. I KNOW IF NOT GIVEN CLRNC TO STAY OUT OF THE TCA. AND I FOLLOW THIS PROC EVERY TIME. HOWEVER, IN THIS INSTANCE I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR'S LACK OF DIRECTION LED ME INTO THE TCA BY ACCIDENT. WHEN I WAS 10-15 MI S OF DTW THE CTLR FINALLY GAVE ME CLRNC AND TOLD ME TO DSND TO 4000'. I DID AS HE REQUESTED. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AND THE REST OF THE FLT INTO DET WAS UNEVENTFUL. NOW, AFTER I EXPLAINED IN A LETTER TO THE FAA WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY ARE FINDING ME AT FAULT. I DON'T AGREE. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE CTLR WAS, BUT DUE TO HIS LACK OF ATTN TO MY NEEDS AND KNOWING MY INTENTIONS, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS SO NEGLECTED. HE KNEW MY PRESENT POS, MY MODE C WAS ON, SO MY 1200 AND MY ALT WERE ON HIS SCREEN. HE ALSO KNEW MY INTENT TO TRANSIT THE TCA TO DET. I FEEL MISHANDLED BY ATC AND THIS CTLR SHOULD ALSO RECEIVE A REPRIMAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONFIRMED THAT SMA CONTINUED ALONG V10 KNOWINGLY RIGHT INTO THE TCA. HE TRIES TO BLAME THE CTLR FOR THE VIOLATION EVEN THOUGH ADMITTING HE KNEW HE SHOULD NOT ENTER W/O CLRNC. HIS ATTITUDE SEEMED TO BE THE CTLR WAS NOT BUSY IN HIS PERCEPTION AND HE SHOULD HAVE CLRED HIM BEFORE HE ENTERED. HE GAVE OPINION DTW CTLRS DO NOT WANT TO HANDLE THE VFR TFC AND WAS ANTAGONISTIC TOWARD THEM. I POINTED OUT THAT THE WAC CHART DID SHOW THE TOP ALT ON THE TCA AND HE ADMITTED HE KNEW THAT. WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR SOME TIME WHEN FAA LETTER OF INVESTIGATION ARRIVED, SO WAS LATE IN ANSWERING AND IS LOOKING FOR ANY OUT. END RESULT IS FAA HAS SUSPENDED HIS LICENSE FOR 60 DAYS.

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.