Narrative:

I contacted iah approach over liberty, tx, approximately 32 mi from humble VOR, the center of the iah TCA. I was given a transponder code and was told I was in radar contact on a radial and a distance from the daisetta VOR. I was told to expect runway 12L at hobby along with the usual airport information. I continued on my heading and altitude (215 degrees at 4500'). I was then handed off to another controller who instructed me to fly 210 degrees and descend and maintain 2500'. He also gave me airport information and told me I would be vectored to runway 12L at hobby. Several mins later I was told to turn to 220 degrees. Shortly after that I was handed off to a third controller who instructed me to turn right to 250 degrees. I checked the TCA chart as I approached the 20 DME of humble VOR and saw I was below the TCA floors of 3000' for the east and 4000' for the southeast sectors of the 15 to 20 mi ring. I felt the controllers were vectoring me where they wanted me for intercept of the final for runway 12L, so I followed their instructions as I had since initial contact. Just before arriving at the 15 mi boundary I was handed off to yet another controller. The TCA floor of the 8 to 15 mi ring is 1800'. While I was changing frequency and re-establishing communications I crossed into the TCA at 2500' but did not realize it until I glanced at the DME and saw I was 12.5 DME mi from the humble VOR. About that time the controller asked, 'do you know about the high bridge?' (evidently a local landmark). My reply was, 'negative.' his voice seemed a little irritated. I made no further comment nor inquired about the bridge. About a minute later he turned me to 220 degrees. Shortly after that he handed me off to hobby tower. I do not recall being told to remain clear of the iah TCA in any of my communications with the controllers. I feel I was led into the TCA by following the controller's instructions. If I had not been vectored I would have skirted the TCA area at about 25 DME mi from the humble VOR until east of hobby and then turn west. To prevent such situation from happening to me again, I will file IFR flight plans when I am going anywhere near a TCA. This will solve my problem but will not help VFR only pilots who find themselves in similar situations. If an aircraft is being vectored and being given altitudes by controllers, then the controllers should be responsible for keeping the aircraft out of the TCA if they don't want the aircraft to enter whether IFR or VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VECTORED INTO IAH TCA ENROUTE TO RWY 12 HOU.

Narrative: I CONTACTED IAH APCH OVER LIBERTY, TX, APPROX 32 MI FROM HUMBLE VOR, THE CENTER OF THE IAH TCA. I WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE AND WAS TOLD I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT ON A RADIAL AND A DISTANCE FROM THE DAISETTA VOR. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 12L AT HOBBY ALONG WITH THE USUAL ARPT INFO. I CONTINUED ON MY HDG AND ALT (215 DEGS AT 4500'). I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY 210 DEGS AND DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500'. HE ALSO GAVE ME ARPT INFO AND TOLD ME I WOULD BE VECTORED TO RWY 12L AT HOBBY. SEVERAL MINS LATER I WAS TOLD TO TURN TO 220 DEGS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I WAS HANDED OFF TO A THIRD CTLR WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN RIGHT TO 250 DEGS. I CHKED THE TCA CHART AS I APCHED THE 20 DME OF HUMBLE VOR AND SAW I WAS BELOW THE TCA FLOORS OF 3000' FOR THE E AND 4000' FOR THE SE SECTORS OF THE 15 TO 20 MI RING. I FELT THE CTLRS WERE VECTORING ME WHERE THEY WANTED ME FOR INTERCEPT OF THE FINAL FOR RWY 12L, SO I FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AS I HAD SINCE INITIAL CONTACT. JUST BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE 15 MI BOUNDARY I WAS HANDED OFF TO YET ANOTHER CTLR. THE TCA FLOOR OF THE 8 TO 15 MI RING IS 1800'. WHILE I WAS CHANGING FREQ AND RE-ESTABLISHING COMS I CROSSED INTO THE TCA AT 2500' BUT DID NOT REALIZE IT UNTIL I GLANCED AT THE DME AND SAW I WAS 12.5 DME MI FROM THE HUMBLE VOR. ABOUT THAT TIME THE CTLR ASKED, 'DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HIGH BRIDGE?' (EVIDENTLY A LCL LANDMARK). MY REPLY WAS, 'NEGATIVE.' HIS VOICE SEEMED A LITTLE IRRITATED. I MADE NO FURTHER COMMENT NOR INQUIRED ABOUT THE BRIDGE. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER HE TURNED ME TO 220 DEGS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE HANDED ME OFF TO HOBBY TWR. I DO NOT RECALL BEING TOLD TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE IAH TCA IN ANY OF MY COMS WITH THE CTLRS. I FEEL I WAS LED INTO THE TCA BY FOLLOWING THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. IF I HAD NOT BEEN VECTORED I WOULD HAVE SKIRTED THE TCA AREA AT ABOUT 25 DME MI FROM THE HUMBLE VOR UNTIL E OF HOBBY AND THEN TURN W. TO PREVENT SUCH SITUATION FROM HAPPENING TO ME AGAIN, I WILL FILE IFR FLT PLANS WHEN I AM GOING ANYWHERE NEAR A TCA. THIS WILL SOLVE MY PROB BUT WILL NOT HELP VFR ONLY PLTS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IF AN ACFT IS BEING VECTORED AND BEING GIVEN ALTS BY CTLRS, THEN THE CTLRS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE ACFT OUT OF THE TCA IF THEY DON'T WANT THE ACFT TO ENTER WHETHER IFR OR VFR.

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.