Narrative:

It was the last leg of the day. I departed myf, IFR, to bur. I was on top of an overcast which became clear at ocn VOR. I requested direct lax, which was not authority/authorized. I reviewed my la TCA map and decided to try the special flight rules area VFR (to save time circumventing the TCA) which I had never done before. I told coast approach I wanted to cancel IFR and proceed VFR through the la TCA VFR corridor along the 140 degree right for vny over hawthorne airport (which I later learned was the hollywood park route). He responded with, 'roger, remain on that squawk,' then handed me to coast 127.2. Once I approached the TCA at 4500' approach said, 'squawk XXXX, frequency changed approved.' I followed vny 140 degree right through the TCA and called bur approach on the other side. No problems or calls inbound. Leaving bur I decided to try it again, so talking to bur approach I proceeded toward the TCA. The controller said, 'squawk XXXX and frequency change approved.' I still felt uncomfortable talking to no one, so I asked approach, 'don't I have to talk to anyone?' he said, 'just the frequency on the map...' I used the same route (3500') again and called coast approach on the other side. After 5 mins with them they gave me a # to call on the ground. This is when I knew I had violated the TCA. I then read my chart (I remembered seeing something about the sfra in there). It was much more in depth, and I could see where I erred. On the ground I called the controller and stated what happened. He was glad I was honest and gave me a warning. They didn't ask about the flight up. It was the last leg of the night. I was tired and eager to get home. I had never done this VFR transition route before; the TCA map didn't have all (or even much) of the information needed. I felt secure since I was talking to approach. As for reading the map, it was dark and I only had the cockpit lighting (I didn't use my flashlight). I felt led into it by approach; going up they didn't call me, so I felt that what I had done was correct, which encouraged me to use it again going south.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF THE DAY. I DEPARTED MYF, IFR, TO BUR. I WAS ON TOP OF AN OVCST WHICH BECAME CLR AT OCN VOR. I REQUESTED DIRECT LAX, WHICH WAS NOT AUTH. I REVIEWED MY LA TCA MAP AND DECIDED TO TRY THE SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA VFR (TO SAVE TIME CIRCUMVENTING THE TCA) WHICH I HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. I TOLD COAST APCH I WANTED TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR THROUGH THE LA TCA VFR CORRIDOR ALONG THE 140 DEG R FOR VNY OVER HAWTHORNE ARPT (WHICH I LATER LEARNED WAS THE HOLLYWOOD PARK ROUTE). HE RESPONDED WITH, 'ROGER, REMAIN ON THAT SQUAWK,' THEN HANDED ME TO COAST 127.2. ONCE I APCHED THE TCA AT 4500' APCH SAID, 'SQUAWK XXXX, FREQ CHANGED APPROVED.' I FOLLOWED VNY 140 DEG R THROUGH THE TCA AND CALLED BUR APCH ON THE OTHER SIDE. NO PROBS OR CALLS INBND. LEAVING BUR I DECIDED TO TRY IT AGAIN, SO TALKING TO BUR APCH I PROCEEDED TOWARD THE TCA. THE CTLR SAID, 'SQUAWK XXXX AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' I STILL FELT UNCOMFORTABLE TALKING TO NO ONE, SO I ASKED APCH, 'DON'T I HAVE TO TALK TO ANYONE?' HE SAID, 'JUST THE FREQ ON THE MAP...' I USED THE SAME ROUTE (3500') AGAIN AND CALLED COAST APCH ON THE OTHER SIDE. AFTER 5 MINS WITH THEM THEY GAVE ME A # TO CALL ON THE GND. THIS IS WHEN I KNEW I HAD VIOLATED THE TCA. I THEN READ MY CHART (I REMEMBERED SEEING SOMETHING ABOUT THE SFRA IN THERE). IT WAS MUCH MORE IN DEPTH, AND I COULD SEE WHERE I ERRED. ON THE GND I CALLED THE CTLR AND STATED WHAT HAPPENED. HE WAS GLAD I WAS HONEST AND GAVE ME A WARNING. THEY DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THE FLT UP. IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF THE NIGHT. I WAS TIRED AND EAGER TO GET HOME. I HAD NEVER DONE THIS VFR TRANSITION ROUTE BEFORE; THE TCA MAP DIDN'T HAVE ALL (OR EVEN MUCH) OF THE INFO NEEDED. I FELT SECURE SINCE I WAS TALKING TO APCH. AS FOR READING THE MAP, IT WAS DARK AND I ONLY HAD THE COCKPIT LIGHTING (I DIDN'T USE MY FLASHLIGHT). I FELT LED INTO IT BY APCH; GOING UP THEY DIDN'T CALL ME, SO I FELT THAT WHAT I HAD DONE WAS CORRECT, WHICH ENCOURAGED ME TO USE IT AGAIN GOING S.

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.