Small aircraft accused of penetrating TCA by approach controller is denied by reporter.

Attributes
ACN	142723
Time
Date	199004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 116 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	142723
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from apple valley to catalina island. Route of flight was apple valley to cajon pass, direct to seal beach VOR direct to catalina VOR. At cajon pass I contacted ontario approach for radar service and got handed off to coast approach. I got coast approach to give me an altimeter reading, I was at 4500'. I could see knott's berry farm at 3 O'clock position approximately 3 mi, when coast approach informed me I was violating the la TCA airspace. I was purposely at 4500' because the floor of the TCA is 6000' MSL this would put me under the TCA en route to seal beach VOR. I was given instructions to change my heading, and told I could be cited for this violation. I do not believe I was in violation of the TCA airspace. Ontario approach verified my altitude and transponder at 8500' MSL upon entering ontario's radar area. I will have my altimeter and transponder checked, but I do not believe they are inaccurate as they were checked with the annual inspection in 11/89. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter was unable to recall exact heading at the time of the incident but did remember it as southwesterly and not due west. He is certain that the controller's concern was about a TCA penetration and not an arsa penetration. He has heard nothing from the FAA regarding the incident. He also reaffirmed the accuracy of his aircraft's altimeter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACCUSED OF PENETRATING TCA BY APCH CTLR IS DENIED BY REPORTER.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM APPLE VALLEY TO CATALINA ISLAND. RTE OF FLT WAS APPLE VALLEY TO CAJON PASS, DIRECT TO SEAL BEACH VOR DIRECT TO CATALINA VOR. AT CAJON PASS I CONTACTED ONTARIO APCH FOR RADAR SVC AND GOT HANDED OFF TO COAST APCH. I GOT COAST APCH TO GIVE ME AN ALTIMETER READING, I WAS AT 4500'. I COULD SEE KNOTT'S BERRY FARM AT 3 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 3 MI, WHEN COAST APCH INFORMED ME I WAS VIOLATING THE LA TCA AIRSPACE. I WAS PURPOSELY AT 4500' BECAUSE THE FLOOR OF THE TCA IS 6000' MSL THIS WOULD PUT ME UNDER THE TCA ENRTE TO SEAL BEACH VOR. I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CHANGE MY HDG, AND TOLD I COULD BE CITED FOR THIS VIOLATION. I DO NOT BELIEVE I WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE TCA AIRSPACE. ONTARIO APCH VERIFIED MY ALT AND TRANSPONDER AT 8500' MSL UPON ENTERING ONTARIO'S RADAR AREA. I WILL HAVE MY ALTIMETER AND TRANSPONDER CHKED, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE INACCURATE AS THEY WERE CHKED WITH THE ANNUAL INSPECTION IN 11/89. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR WAS UNABLE TO RECALL EXACT HDG AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT BUT DID REMEMBER IT AS SOUTHWESTERLY AND NOT DUE W. HE IS CERTAIN THAT THE CTLR'S CONCERN WAS ABOUT A TCA PENETRATION AND NOT AN ARSA PENETRATION. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA REGARDING THE INCIDENT. HE ALSO REAFFIRMED THE ACCURACY OF HIS ACFT'S ALTIMETER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.