While deviating around IMC reporter flight instructor inadvertently entered a TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	106452
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ccr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 480
ASRS Report	106452
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a cross country training flight from concord to south county my student and I diverted 5 degrees from our course heading to avoid a layer of clouds butting up against the west side of mount diablo. The course took us to the west side of walnut creek. I realized that my student had not corrected his course after passing the clouds and was waiting to see if he could and would correct his position to the proper course. During this time I was coaching him on how to open his flight plan and then obtain VFR advisories from bay approach on 127.00. We first made contact with approach at approximately 4000' and southeast of walnut creek. I knew that the course we should have been on, our cruising altitude of 5500', would be underneath the outer ring of the san francisco TCA. After making contact with approach at approximately 4000' and southeast of walnut creek. I knew that the course we should have been on, our cruising altitude of 5500', would be underneath the outer ring of the san francisco TCA. After making contact with bay approach we were given a squawk code. During the time we were contacting bay approach and shortly after contact I was trying to show my student on the chart that his position was west of his planned course. The course should have taken us over the towns of danville and san ramon. Just before my student started to correct his position, a couple of mins after our first contact with bay approach, the controller asked our altitude which at this time was 5200'. We were informed that we entered the san francisco TCA west/O a clearance. At this time I immediately turned the airplane to the southeast to exit the TCA. The controller then gave us a clearance through the TCA at 5500'. However, it was not necessary since our course did not call for us to pass through the TCA. I realize that I waited too long to let my student correct his position and allowed myself to be caught up with the busy work of a cross country flight. I was familiar with the area and did not believe that we had entered the TCA. It seems that since we had an altitude reporting transponder, were on radar and in radio contact before we entered the TCA, that the controller would or should have informed us of our possible entrance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DEVIATING AROUND IMC REPORTER FLT INSTRUCTOR INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRNING FLT FROM CONCORD TO SOUTH COUNTY MY STUDENT AND I DIVERTED 5 DEGS FROM OUR COURSE HDG TO AVOID A LAYER OF CLOUDS BUTTING UP AGAINST THE W SIDE OF MOUNT DIABLO. THE COURSE TOOK US TO THE W SIDE OF WALNUT CREEK. I REALIZED THAT MY STUDENT HAD NOT CORRECTED HIS COURSE AFTER PASSING THE CLOUDS AND WAS WAITING TO SEE IF HE COULD AND WOULD CORRECT HIS POS TO THE PROPER COURSE. DURING THIS TIME I WAS COACHING HIM ON HOW TO OPEN HIS FLT PLAN AND THEN OBTAIN VFR ADVISORIES FROM BAY APCH ON 127.00. WE FIRST MADE CONTACT WITH APCH AT APPROX 4000' AND SE OF WALNUT CREEK. I KNEW THAT THE COURSE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON, OUR CRUISING ALT OF 5500', WOULD BE UNDERNEATH THE OUTER RING OF THE SAN FRANCISCO TCA. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH APCH AT APPROX 4000' AND SE OF WALNUT CREEK. I KNEW THAT THE COURSE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON, OUR CRUISING ALT OF 5500', WOULD BE UNDERNEATH THE OUTER RING OF THE SAN FRANCISCO TCA. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH BAY APCH WE WERE GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE. DURING THE TIME WE WERE CONTACTING BAY APCH AND SHORTLY AFTER CONTACT I WAS TRYING TO SHOW MY STUDENT ON THE CHART THAT HIS POS WAS W OF HIS PLANNED COURSE. THE COURSE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN US OVER THE TOWNS OF DANVILLE AND SAN RAMON. JUST BEFORE MY STUDENT STARTED TO CORRECT HIS POS, A COUPLE OF MINS AFTER OUR FIRST CONTACT WITH BAY APCH, THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT WHICH AT THIS TIME WAS 5200'. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE ENTERED THE SAN FRANCISCO TCA W/O A CLRNC. AT THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE SE TO EXIT THE TCA. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA AT 5500'. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT NECESSARY SINCE OUR COURSE DID NOT CALL FOR US TO PASS THROUGH THE TCA. I REALIZE THAT I WAITED TOO LONG TO LET MY STUDENT CORRECT HIS POS AND ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE CAUGHT UP WITH THE BUSY WORK OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLT. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND DID NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAD ENTERED THE TCA. IT SEEMS THAT SINCE WE HAD AN ALT RPTING XPONDER, WERE ON RADAR AND IN RADIO CONTACT BEFORE WE ENTERED THE TCA, THAT THE CTLR WOULD OR SHOULD HAVE INFORMED US OF OUR POSSIBLE ENTRANCE.

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.