Narrative:

Departing 39N VFR, I flew a southeast heading and climbed to 3500' and contacted ny approach. I advised the controller I was unfamiliar with the TCA and requested his help with service to be sure I didn't inadvertently enter the TCA. He issued a transponder squawk and identify, confirmed radar contact and asked me if I was familiar with 'sandy point'. I responded that I was not, and he instructed me to head direct to colts neck VOR, which I did. He asked me if I saw descending jet traffic off to my right and I acknowledged that I already had the traffic in sight. Later, a second controller came on the frequency and said 'you have entered the TCA without a clearance, descend to and maintain 2500'.' I acknowledged the instruction and complied. The second controller advised me that without receiving an explicit TCA clearance I was not cleared into the TCA, she then issued a clearance into the TCA at 2500'. I explained that I was monitoring DME from jfk and believed myself to be outside the 20 NM DME boundary. The first controller contended that I had entered just to the north of the boundary referenced off of ewr airport. I believe this incident could have been avoided by the following: 1) the first controller should have issued the restriction 'remain clear of the TCA' along with the heading information. 2) the ny TCA could be amended to give a DME arc from ewr (via ILS/DME), printed in a prominent space at lower boundary, clearly visible. Too, if the controller didn't intend to clear me into the TCA, he shouldn't have issued heading instructions which required my compliance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT UNAUTH PENETRATION OF TCA.

Narrative: DEPARTING 39N VFR, I FLEW A SE HDG AND CLIMBED TO 3500' AND CONTACTED NY APCH. I ADVISED THE CTLR I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TCA AND REQUESTED HIS HELP WITH SERVICE TO BE SURE I DIDN'T INADVERTENTLY ENTER THE TCA. HE ISSUED A XPONDER SQUAWK AND IDENT, CONFIRMED RADAR CONTACT AND ASKED ME IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH 'SANDY POINT'. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS NOT, AND HE INSTRUCTED ME TO HEAD DIRECT TO COLTS NECK VOR, WHICH I DID. HE ASKED ME IF I SAW DESCENDING JET TFC OFF TO MY RIGHT AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I ALREADY HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. LATER, A SECOND CTLR CAME ON THE FREQ AND SAID 'YOU HAVE ENTERED THE TCA WITHOUT A CLRNC, DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 2500'.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THE INSTRUCTION AND COMPLIED. THE SECOND CTLR ADVISED ME THAT WITHOUT RECEIVING AN EXPLICIT TCA CLRNC I WAS NOT CLRED INTO THE TCA, SHE THEN ISSUED A CLRNC INTO THE TCA AT 2500'. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS MONITORING DME FROM JFK AND BELIEVED MYSELF TO BE OUTSIDE THE 20 NM DME BOUNDARY. THE FIRST CTLR CONTENDED THAT I HAD ENTERED JUST TO THE N OF THE BOUNDARY REFERENCED OFF OF EWR ARPT. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY THE FOLLOWING: 1) THE FIRST CTLR SHOULD HAVE ISSUED THE RESTRICTION 'REMAIN CLEAR OF THE TCA' ALONG WITH THE HDG INFO. 2) THE NY TCA COULD BE AMENDED TO GIVE A DME ARC FROM EWR (VIA ILS/DME), PRINTED IN A PROMINENT SPACE AT LOWER BOUNDARY, CLEARLY VISIBLE. TOO, IF THE CTLR DIDN'T INTEND TO CLEAR ME INTO THE TCA, HE SHOULDN'T HAVE ISSUED HDG INSTRUCTIONS WHICH REQUIRED MY COMPLIANCE.

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.