Narrative:

Upon contacting psp approach control was told to call la TRACON upon landing. La TRACON advised that I had penetrated the TCA airspace at or near cerritos, ca by climbing to 7500 MSL from my departure point at compton, ca. Initially I thought they were referring to the airspace at 125/25 or 125/40, however, I learned the space violated was the TCA 125/60. On my cockpit flight plan my altitude was to be 5500 MSL to avoid TCA airspace until well beyond fullerton airport. After departing compton I continued southwest climbing to turn east to pass over lgb and los alamitos over 3100 MSL. From my turn east I continued to climb right into the TCA airspace. I don't know why this happened. I did not use a NAVAID to verify I was clear of the TCA perhaps just thinking that the aircraft would be beyond the TCA limits (15 NM from departure) by the time I reached 6000 MSL. I am totally embarrassed by this violation and have always felt that I was competent enough to never penetrate controled airspace without prior authorization. This just happens to other pilots. In retrospect I feel other contributing factors were: 1) over 8 yrs of inactivity as an actively flying pilot. I just renewed my medical 10 months ago and received a BFR. 2) my BFR was through all flight regimes and I felt was adequate. However, there was neither flying time in nor ground discussion/refresher in controled airspace. 3) I have lived in los angeles area 2 1/2 yrs. I did not experience this much controled airspace in the midwest to deal with on almost each and every flight. 4) the visibility on the day of the violation was unusually excellent, perhaps creating an illusion in my mind that I was close to banning pass thus far from the TCA airspace. Although a potentially catastrophic violation, I believe I have learned a very good lesson from this incursion. My flight planning will become more concise and contain the professionalism that I am capable of in this high traffic, heavily controled area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE LAX TCA.

Narrative: UPON CONTACTING PSP APCH CTL WAS TOLD TO CALL LA TRACON UPON LNDG. LA TRACON ADVISED THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE TCA AIRSPACE AT OR NEAR CERRITOS, CA BY CLIMBING TO 7500 MSL FROM MY DEP POINT AT COMPTON, CA. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THEY WERE REFERRING TO THE AIRSPACE AT 125/25 OR 125/40, HOWEVER, I LEARNED THE SPACE VIOLATED WAS THE TCA 125/60. ON MY COCKPIT FLT PLAN MY ALT WAS TO BE 5500 MSL TO AVOID TCA AIRSPACE UNTIL WELL BEYOND FULLERTON ARPT. AFTER DEPARTING COMPTON I CONTINUED SW CLIMBING TO TURN E TO PASS OVER LGB AND LOS ALAMITOS OVER 3100 MSL. FROM MY TURN E I CONTINUED TO CLIMB RIGHT INTO THE TCA AIRSPACE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED. I DID NOT USE A NAVAID TO VERIFY I WAS CLEAR OF THE TCA PERHAPS JUST THINKING THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE BEYOND THE TCA LIMITS (15 NM FROM DEP) BY THE TIME I REACHED 6000 MSL. I AM TOTALLY EMBARRASSED BY THIS VIOLATION AND HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT I WAS COMPETENT ENOUGH TO NEVER PENETRATE CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHORIZATION. THIS JUST HAPPENS TO OTHER PLTS. IN RETROSPECT I FEEL OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) OVER 8 YRS OF INACTIVITY AS AN ACTIVELY FLYING PLT. I JUST RENEWED MY MEDICAL 10 MONTHS AGO AND RECEIVED A BFR. 2) MY BFR WAS THROUGH ALL FLT REGIMES AND I FELT WAS ADEQUATE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NEITHER FLYING TIME IN NOR GND DISCUSSION/REFRESHER IN CTLED AIRSPACE. 3) I HAVE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES AREA 2 1/2 YRS. I DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS MUCH CTLED AIRSPACE IN THE MIDWEST TO DEAL WITH ON ALMOST EACH AND EVERY FLT. 4) THE VISIBILITY ON THE DAY OF THE VIOLATION WAS UNUSUALLY EXCELLENT, PERHAPS CREATING AN ILLUSION IN MY MIND THAT I WAS CLOSE TO BANNING PASS THUS FAR FROM THE TCA AIRSPACE. ALTHOUGH A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC VIOLATION, I BELIEVE I HAVE LEARNED A VERY GOOD LESSON FROM THIS INCURSION. MY FLT PLANNING WILL BECOME MORE CONCISE AND CONTAIN THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT I AM CAPABLE OF IN THIS HIGH TFC, HEAVILY CTLED AREA.

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.