Narrative:

I may have inadvertently violated a TCA. I was approximately 15 NM southwest of the riverside VOR on what appeared to be the 240 degree right at 3500 ft MSL in VFR condition--sky clear, visibility unlimited. I contacted kansas city ATC, advised them of my position, stated I had current ATIS for mkc and requested vectors for a practice ILS 19 for mks (downtown kansas city). This incident took place on 3/89. ATC responded with maintain VFR, present altitude and heading--squawk XXXX and identify. I was on a heading of approximately 055 degrees which the ADF confirmed would take me to kensy. My DME now showed approximately 13 NM from ris. On several occasions ATC asked me to recycle the transponder. I concluded that an error with the transponder may exist. When I was very near mci, ATC again asked my altitude. I again verified that I was still at 3500 ft MSL. ATC then stated they were showing me at 6100 ft MSL and gave me the current altimeter setting. I repeated the altimeter setting and again confirmed my altitude, still at 3500 ft MSL. I also stated that I was now directly over mci. Very shortly thereafter, ATC asked for my name--to which I responded, 'I'll get back with you.' this was my first clue that I may have violated the TCA. ATC then gave me traffic advisories and heading vectors to intercept the localizer. ATC cleared me to 2600 ft MSL for the ILS approach and ATC asked for my aircraft type. Following the ILS approach, I requested clearance to taxi back to the active runway for a series of touch and goes. Following my final landing, the controller gave me mci's phone # and said, 'you are requested to call the manager.' following legal council I did not call the controller as requested. As in most incidences, I believe a series of events may have lead to the possible TCA violation: apparent confusion re: the transponder, both the correct squawk #'south and to its encoder's accuracy. Upon my receipt of transponder codes, and statement to maintain VFR, present heading and altitude, I presumed he was taking me into the TCA. I cannot say conclusively that the controller did or did not say, 'clear to enter the TCA.' I can say, however, that at no time did the controller ever state, 'remain clear of the TCA.' this may have contributed to my assumption that the controller was taking me into the TCA. Throughout our communications with ATC there was an abundance of activity--I'm certain the controller was busy. I would suggest that the controller advise you that you are not cleared into a TCA until they state, 'cleared to enter TCA.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. MCI TCA.

Narrative: I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY VIOLATED A TCA. I WAS APPROX 15 NM SW OF THE RIVERSIDE VOR ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE 240 DEG R AT 3500 FT MSL IN VFR CONDITION--SKY CLEAR, VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. I CONTACTED KANSAS CITY ATC, ADVISED THEM OF MY POS, STATED I HAD CURRENT ATIS FOR MKC AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR A PRACTICE ILS 19 FOR MKS (DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY). THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON 3/89. ATC RESPONDED WITH MAINTAIN VFR, PRESENT ALT AND HDG--SQUAWK XXXX AND IDENT. I WAS ON A HDG OF APPROX 055 DEGS WHICH THE ADF CONFIRMED WOULD TAKE ME TO KENSY. MY DME NOW SHOWED APPROX 13 NM FROM RIS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ATC ASKED ME TO RECYCLE THE XPONDER. I CONCLUDED THAT AN ERROR WITH THE XPONDER MAY EXIST. WHEN I WAS VERY NEAR MCI, ATC AGAIN ASKED MY ALT. I AGAIN VERIFIED THAT I WAS STILL AT 3500 FT MSL. ATC THEN STATED THEY WERE SHOWING ME AT 6100 FT MSL AND GAVE ME THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. I REPEATED THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND AGAIN CONFIRMED MY ALT, STILL AT 3500 FT MSL. I ALSO STATED THAT I WAS NOW DIRECTLY OVER MCI. VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC ASKED FOR MY NAME--TO WHICH I RESPONDED, 'I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.' THIS WAS MY FIRST CLUE THAT I MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE TCA. ATC THEN GAVE ME TFC ADVISORIES AND HDG VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. ATC CLRED ME TO 2600 FT MSL FOR THE ILS APCH AND ATC ASKED FOR MY ACFT TYPE. FOLLOWING THE ILS APCH, I REQUESTED CLRNC TO TAXI BACK TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR A SERIES OF TOUCH AND GOES. FOLLOWING MY FINAL LNDG, THE CTLR GAVE ME MCI'S PHONE # AND SAID, 'YOU ARE REQUESTED TO CALL THE MGR.' FOLLOWING LEGAL COUNCIL I DID NOT CALL THE CTLR AS REQUESTED. AS IN MOST INCIDENCES, I BELIEVE A SERIES OF EVENTS MAY HAVE LEAD TO THE POSSIBLE TCA VIOLATION: APPARENT CONFUSION RE: THE XPONDER, BOTH THE CORRECT SQUAWK #'S AND TO ITS ENCODER'S ACCURACY. UPON MY RECEIPT OF XPONDER CODES, AND STATEMENT TO MAINTAIN VFR, PRESENT HDG AND ALT, I PRESUMED HE WAS TAKING ME INTO THE TCA. I CANNOT SAY CONCLUSIVELY THAT THE CTLR DID OR DID NOT SAY, 'CLR TO ENTER THE TCA.' I CAN SAY, HOWEVER, THAT AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR EVER STATE, 'REMAIN CLR OF THE TCA.' THIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MY ASSUMPTION THAT THE CTLR WAS TAKING ME INTO THE TCA. THROUGHOUT OUR COMS WITH ATC THERE WAS AN ABUNDANCE OF ACTIVITY--I'M CERTAIN THE CTLR WAS BUSY. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE CTLR ADVISE YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT CLRED INTO A TCA UNTIL THEY STATE, 'CLRED TO ENTER 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.