Aircraft reporter aircraft inadvertently entered an air traffic area and a TCA without ATC clearance...

Attributes
ACN	122310
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpa
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	122310
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Because of the arrival slot reservation program at mdw we will change our filed destination to dpa when coming in from the west, then cancel IFR, call the tower at mdw and arrive outside our slot time VFR. We studied the TCA chart for altitudes between dpa airport and mdw. We decided to go down to 1000' AGL on the approach at dpa then proceed to mdw after cancelling. This kept 500' below the ceiling and 1000' above the highest obstacle, city, town, or settlement, 1/2 mi etc. But while being vectored for the VOR approach to dpa, it was obvious the WX was improving. So just before handoff to the tower we cancelled and headed for mdw. We changed our plans in other words. I headed east at 2000 MSL, looked to my left to see dpa airport sliding by but we never called them with our intentions after cancelling with approach. I had the copilot drop off the mdw tower frequency, call dpa tower to tell them where we were as we left their air traffic area. A little late, but better than ignoring them completely. Then at 2000 MSL, I proceeded to mdw, but I think I penetrated the TCA at the 1900 MSL ring, because I hadn't descended as low as originally planned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT REPORTER ACFT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED AN ATA AND A TCA WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF THE ARRIVAL SLOT RESERVATION PROGRAM AT MDW WE WILL CHANGE OUR FILED DEST TO DPA WHEN COMING IN FROM THE WEST, THEN CANCEL IFR, CALL THE TWR AT MDW AND ARRIVE OUTSIDE OUR SLOT TIME VFR. WE STUDIED THE TCA CHART FOR ALTS BETWEEN DPA ARPT AND MDW. WE DECIDED TO GO DOWN TO 1000' AGL ON THE APCH AT DPA THEN PROCEED TO MDW AFTER CANCELLING. THIS KEPT 500' BELOW THE CEILING AND 1000' ABOVE THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE, CITY, TOWN, OR SETTLEMENT, 1/2 MI ETC. BUT WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE VOR APCH TO DPA, IT WAS OBVIOUS THE WX WAS IMPROVING. SO JUST BEFORE HANDOFF TO THE TWR WE CANCELLED AND HEADED FOR MDW. WE CHANGED OUR PLANS IN OTHER WORDS. I HEADED EAST AT 2000 MSL, LOOKED TO MY LEFT TO SEE DPA ARPT SLIDING BY BUT WE NEVER CALLED THEM WITH OUR INTENTIONS AFTER CANCELLING WITH APCH. I HAD THE COPLT DROP OFF THE MDW TWR FREQ, CALL DPA TWR TO TELL THEM WHERE WE WERE AS WE LEFT THEIR ATA. A LITTLE LATE, BUT BETTER THAN IGNORING THEM COMPLETELY. THEN AT 2000 MSL, I PROCEEDED TO MDW, BUT I THINK I PENETRATED THE TCA AT THE 1900 MSL RING, BECAUSE I HADN'T DESCENDED AS LOW AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED.

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.