Small aircraft enters oak TCA without proper clearance.

Attributes
ACN	132130
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sau
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 29831 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	132130
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

En route petaluma airport (O69) to palo alto airport (pao) 6500 MSL, called ZOA to enter arsa and eventually TCA (127.8). Position at that time approximately north shore of san pablo bay outside arsa. Radar identified (mode C) and accepted in arsa as per requested route. Called center again to request TCA clearance, was advised 'will hand you off to bay in a minute, cleared direct pao, VFR'. Due to frequency congestion, it was a little longer than a minute before handoff. Contacted bay and was advised that I was in the TCA without a clearance, turn left 060 and descend to 4500'. A couple of minutes later may advised clear of TCA, cleared direct oak airport, east of lake chabot descend to 2000. Bay advised 'no conflict', no problem, (maybe for him!) oak, (on initial clearance to pao) did not advise 'remain clear of TCA' neither was I formally cleared thru the TCA with specific wording as usual. Suggest filing this one under communications. I feel like mom said 'take a cookie' and split, dad came in and found me with my hand in the cookie jar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS OAK TCA WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE PETALUMA ARPT (O69) TO PALO ALTO ARPT (PAO) 6500 MSL, CALLED ZOA TO ENTER ARSA AND EVENTUALLY TCA (127.8). POSITION AT THAT TIME APPROX N SHORE OF SAN PABLO BAY OUTSIDE ARSA. RADAR IDENTIFIED (MODE C) AND ACCEPTED IN ARSA AS PER REQUESTED ROUTE. CALLED CENTER AGAIN TO REQUEST TCA CLRNC, WAS ADVISED 'WILL HAND YOU OFF TO BAY IN A MINUTE, CLRED DIRECT PAO, VFR'. DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, IT WAS A LITTLE LONGER THAN A MINUTE BEFORE HANDOFF. CONTACTED BAY AND WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS IN THE TCA WITHOUT A CLRNC, TURN LEFT 060 AND DSND TO 4500'. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER MAY ADVISED CLEAR OF TCA, CLRED DIRECT OAK ARPT, E OF LAKE CHABOT DSND TO 2000. BAY ADVISED 'NO CONFLICT', NO PROBLEM, (MAYBE FOR HIM!) OAK, (ON INITIAL CLRNC TO PAO) DID NOT ADVISE 'REMAIN CLEAR OF TCA' NEITHER WAS I FORMALLY CLRED THRU THE TCA WITH SPECIFIC WORDING AS USUAL. SUGGEST FILING THIS ONE UNDER COMS. I FEEL LIKE MOM SAID 'TAKE A COOKIE' AND SPLIT, DAD CAME IN AND FOUND ME WITH MY HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR.

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.