Narrative:

The event was an unauthorized penetration of the san francisco TCA. I had been on an IFR flight from bakersfield to san carlos. When I had san carlos in sight, I advised ATC and cancelled IFR. I began a descent to traffic pattern altitude, and made a broad turn to the north so as to enter on a right 45 for runway 30. I heard at least one and possibly 2 other aircraft in the pattern at san carlos. I decided that the safest procedure for me would be to make a standard uncontrolled airport entry. I stopped my descent at 1800' and crossed san carlos at mid-field. I maintained a 030 degree heading and 1800' for approximately 1 mi. I then turned to a heading of 300 degree and began my descent and turns to enter on a right 45. After landing, I checked my TCA chart and discovered that had penetrated the TCA. I was aware of the proximity of the TCA, but not the exact boundaries. I did not check my TCA chart in the air because the sole map light in the cabin was OTS, and I thought that in the interest of traffic awareness, I did not want to stop scanning for other traffic in order to look at the chart to determine the exact limits of thee TCA. In order to prevent this from occurring again, if I am on an IFR flight which ends at a TCA satellite airport, I will take a visibility approach rather than cancelling IFR. I will also be more careful to plan for possible alternate approachs when landing at satellite airports. I had not preplanned my approach because the forecast had called for a ceiling of 800', overcast, so I had expected to have to divert to my alternate, sjc. When I arrived and found scattered clouds at 1500', I didn't have time to plan my approach so as to avoid the TCA.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF SFO TCA.

Narrative: THE EVENT WAS AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO TCA. I HAD BEEN ON AN IFR FLT FROM BAKERSFIELD TO SAN CARLOS. WHEN I HAD SAN CARLOS IN SIGHT, I ADVISED ATC AND CANCELLED IFR. I BEGAN A DSCNT TO TFC PATTERN ALT, AND MADE A BROAD TURN TO THE N SO AS TO ENTER ON A RIGHT 45 FOR RWY 30. I HEARD AT LEAST ONE AND POSSIBLY 2 OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AT SAN CARLOS. I DECIDED THAT THE SAFEST PROC FOR ME WOULD BE TO MAKE A STANDARD UNCONTROLLED ARPT ENTRY. I STOPPED MY DSCNT AT 1800' AND CROSSED SAN CARLOS AT MID-FIELD. I MAINTAINED A 030 DEG HDG AND 1800' FOR APPROX 1 MI. I THEN TURNED TO A HDG OF 300 DEG AND BEGAN MY DSCNT AND TURNS TO ENTER ON A RIGHT 45. AFTER LNDG, I CHKED MY TCA CHART AND DISCOVERED THAT HAD PENETRATED THE TCA. I WAS AWARE OF THE PROX OF THE TCA, BUT NOT THE EXACT BOUNDARIES. I DID NOT CHK MY TCA CHART IN THE AIR BECAUSE THE SOLE MAP LIGHT IN THE CABIN WAS OTS, AND I THOUGHT THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TFC AWARENESS, I DID NOT WANT TO STOP SCANNING FOR OTHER TFC IN ORDER TO LOOK AT THE CHART TO DETERMINE THE EXACT LIMITS OF THEE TCA. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, IF I AM ON AN IFR FLT WHICH ENDS AT A TCA SATELLITE ARPT, I WILL TAKE A VIS APCH RATHER THAN CANCELLING IFR. I WILL ALSO BE MORE CAREFUL TO PLAN FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATE APCHS WHEN LNDG AT SATELLITE ARPTS. I HAD NOT PREPLANNED MY APCH BECAUSE THE FORECAST HAD CALLED FOR A CEILING OF 800', OVCST, SO I HAD EXPECTED TO HAVE TO DIVERT TO MY ALTERNATE, SJC. WHEN I ARRIVED AND FOUND SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 1500', I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PLAN MY APCH SO AS TO AVOID 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.