Small aircraft, accused by ATC of TCA entry without proper clearance, denies accusation.

Attributes
ACN	126014
Time
Date	198910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci airport : mkc
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci tower : mkc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	126014
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed from north omaha airport. There was no flight plan, though I squawked 1200 with mode C. Omaha departure had control of my departure until out of the omaha airspace. The flight was at an altitude of 5500' until west of stj, at which time I descended to 3600', passing just west of the atchison, ks, airport and proceeded south until just north of the lawrence, ks, airport--at which time I descended to 2400' and turned e-erly to go direct to mkc. I contacted the mkc tower at an appropriate distance from their air traffic area, at all times remaining clear of the TCA. Ground controller at mkc informed me of my option to contact approach control, which I did, and informed me I was 10 mi within the TCA and in close contact with a commuter airline. I make this flight 10-15 times per yr on days with good visibility of 20 mi (will less visibility I either fly IFR or obtain clearance through the TCA). I fly with a marked VFR map in the cockpit identical to the one enclosed herewith. I am convinced approach control has idented the wrong airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, ACCUSED BY ATC OF TCA ENTRY WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC, DENIES ACCUSATION.

Narrative: DEPARTED FROM N OMAHA ARPT. THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN, THOUGH I SQUAWKED 1200 WITH MODE C. OMAHA DEP HAD CTL OF MY DEP UNTIL OUT OF THE OMAHA AIRSPACE. THE FLT WAS AT AN ALT OF 5500' UNTIL W OF STJ, AT WHICH TIME I DSNDED TO 3600', PASSING JUST W OF THE ATCHISON, KS, ARPT AND PROCEEDED S UNTIL JUST N OF THE LAWRENCE, KS, ARPT--AT WHICH TIME I DSNDED TO 2400' AND TURNED E-ERLY TO GO DIRECT TO MKC. I CONTACTED THE MKC TWR AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM THEIR ATA, AT ALL TIMES REMAINING CLR OF THE TCA. GND CTLR AT MKC INFORMED ME OF MY OPTION TO CONTACT APCH CTL, WHICH I DID, AND INFORMED ME I WAS 10 MI WITHIN THE TCA AND IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH A COMMUTER AIRLINE. I MAKE THIS FLT 10-15 TIMES PER YR ON DAYS WITH GOOD VISIBILITY OF 20 MI (WILL LESS VISIBILITY I EITHER FLY IFR OR OBTAIN CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA). I FLY WITH A MARKED VFR MAP IN THE COCKPIT IDENTICAL TO THE ONE ENCLOSED HEREWITH. I AM CONVINCED APCH CTL HAS IDENTED THE WRONG AIRPLANE.

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.