Entered TCA airspace.

Attributes
ACN	106245
Time
Date	198903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 1531 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	106245
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed from enw for a flight to daytona beach, fl, VFR. The reasons I was VFR were 1) it was clear all the way to fl and, 2) when departing southbound from enw IFR they either make you go across the lake or west to rockford, then south. I headed southeast over the lake climbing to 13500' at about 300 FPM. Was trying to stay just east of ord TCA west/O going further out over lake michigan than needed. I had the LORAN set for daytona beach and was watching my distance from ord. Thought TCA was 20 mi for flight between 3000 and 7000'. 99% of the time when I fly this route I fly below 3000' along the shoreline. But, because of the length of flight and wanting to get to altitude for the winds, decided to go out over the lake and stay east of the TCA during my climb between 3000 and 7000'. Upon reaching cruise altitude called chicago center for flight following. Was given a phone # to call ord approach upon landing. After checking the map closer realized the outer limit for the TCA was 25 mi and not the 20 mi I thought it was. Also, I should have contacted ord approach before getting close as they would have also kept me out of the TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED TCA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTED FROM ENW FOR A FLT TO DAYTONA BEACH, FL, VFR. THE REASONS I WAS VFR WERE 1) IT WAS CLR ALL THE WAY TO FL AND, 2) WHEN DEPARTING SBND FROM ENW IFR THEY EITHER MAKE YOU GO ACROSS THE LAKE OR W TO ROCKFORD, THEN S. I HEADED SE OVER THE LAKE CLBING TO 13500' AT ABOUT 300 FPM. WAS TRYING TO STAY JUST E OF ORD TCA W/O GOING FURTHER OUT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN THAN NEEDED. I HAD THE LORAN SET FOR DAYTONA BEACH AND WAS WATCHING MY DISTANCE FROM ORD. THOUGHT TCA WAS 20 MI FOR FLT BTWN 3000 AND 7000'. 99% OF THE TIME WHEN I FLY THIS ROUTE I FLY BELOW 3000' ALONG THE SHORELINE. BUT, BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF FLT AND WANTING TO GET TO ALT FOR THE WINDS, DECIDED TO GO OUT OVER THE LAKE AND STAY E OF THE TCA DURING MY CLB BTWN 3000 AND 7000'. UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT CALLED CHICAGO CENTER FOR FLT FOLLOWING. WAS GIVEN A PHONE # TO CALL ORD APCH UPON LNDG. AFTER CHKING THE MAP CLOSER REALIZED THE OUTER LIMIT FOR THE TCA WAS 25 MI AND NOT THE 20 MI I THOUGHT IT WAS. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED ORD APCH BEFORE GETTING CLOSE AS THEY WOULD HAVE ALSO KEPT ME OUT OF THE 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.