Narrative:

Departed provincetown, ma, airport VFR and proceeded wbound to destination airport, north hampton, ma, via chester VOR direct from provincetown. While climbing out of provincetown I attempted contact with boston approach on the frequency last used earlier in the day while approaching provincetown. Receiving no reply I contacted otis approach, was given a squawk and made radar contact. At that time I advised otis of my intended altitude and route of flight. Shortly thereafter I was handed off to ocean approach, made radar contact and leveled off at 6500'. Ocean inquired as to the destination and route of flight, and were advised as noted above. Not long after contacting ocean I was told that radar services were terminated, squawk 1200, for further advisories try boston center on a certain frequency. I then contacted boston on the frequency suggested, gave them my position as level 6500' over weymouth NAS wbound to northampton. Boston gave me a squawk, and requested that I stay clear of the TCA. It was only then that I realized that ... 1) I was within the TCA and 2) none of the controllers ever said that I was cleared thru the TCA. I advised boston that I believed that I was within the TCA. The controller stated that I was not. I believe that she was in error. Looking back I realize that I fell into the trap of relying on ATC to, essentially, clear the way. Using that convenience while flying IFR, I forgot that it is not always there with VFR advisories. I also believe that knowing where you're coming from and going to on short flts leads to complacency as to where you are en route. I short, I should have been paying more attention to the map on my lap and my present position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA BELIEVES HE PENETRATED TCA BUT ATC SAYS HE DID NOT.

Narrative: DEPARTED PROVINCETOWN, MA, ARPT VFR AND PROCEEDED WBOUND TO DEST ARPT, NORTH HAMPTON, MA, VIA CHESTER VOR DIRECT FROM PROVINCETOWN. WHILE CLIMBING OUT OF PROVINCETOWN I ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH BOSTON APCH ON THE FREQ LAST USED EARLIER IN THE DAY WHILE APCHING PROVINCETOWN. RECEIVING NO REPLY I CONTACTED OTIS APCH, WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK AND MADE RADAR CONTACT. AT THAT TIME I ADVISED OTIS OF MY INTENDED ALT AND ROUTE OF FLT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS HANDED OFF TO OCEAN APCH, MADE RADAR CONTACT AND LEVELED OFF AT 6500'. OCEAN INQUIRED AS TO THE DEST AND ROUTE OF FLT, AND WERE ADVISED AS NOTED ABOVE. NOT LONG AFTER CONTACTING OCEAN I WAS TOLD THAT RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED, SQUAWK 1200, FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES TRY BOSTON CENTER ON A CERTAIN FREQ. I THEN CONTACTED BOSTON ON THE FREQ SUGGESTED, GAVE THEM MY POSITION AS LEVEL 6500' OVER WEYMOUTH NAS WBOUND TO NORTHAMPTON. BOSTON GAVE ME A SQUAWK, AND REQUESTED THAT I STAY CLEAR OF THE TCA. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT I REALIZED THAT ... 1) I WAS WITHIN THE TCA AND 2) NONE OF THE CTLRS EVER SAID THAT I WAS CLRED THRU THE TCA. I ADVISED BOSTON THAT I BELIEVED THAT I WAS WITHIN THE TCA. THE CTLR STATED THAT I WAS NOT. I BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS IN ERROR. LOOKING BACK I REALIZE THAT I FELL INTO THE TRAP OF RELYING ON ATC TO, ESSENTIALLY, CLEAR THE WAY. USING THAT CONVENIENCE WHILE FLYING IFR, I FORGOT THAT IT IS NOT ALWAYS THERE WITH VFR ADVISORIES. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT KNOWING WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND GOING TO ON SHORT FLTS LEADS TO COMPLACENCY AS TO WHERE YOU ARE ENRTE. I SHORT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING MORE ATTN TO THE MAP ON MY LAP AND MY PRESENT POSITION.

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.