Narrative:

In VFR descent from northwest on burbank approach control 128.75. Was turned over to la approach on 134.2 after requesting through TCA to fullerton and being told by burbank to fly la special flight rules area direct small aircraft VOR and proceed at proper altitude (3500') sebnd. Could not get response from lax 134.2 so proceeded on what I understood to be the old VFR corridor over lax but read the 'shoreline route' depiction and proceeded 1/2 mi off shore 3500' sebnd to el seguando refinery then east. Flying, routing, altitudes, and speeds were all legal with no air traffic problems, no evasive action. Upon receiving the chart later I realized I was looking at and following shoreline route instructions but was thinking special flight rules area so continued, after calling approach control 4 times west/O response. Realized later I was actually in area that required clearance. Navigation eastbound from el segundo refinery was all at legal altitudes below TCA and outside of long beach air traffic area. The only thing I could be 'charged' with would be flying through west/O ATC clearance, even though I had tried. TCA chart in magenta box northwest of la, west of van nuys says contact approach on 134.2. Burbank approach gave me 134.2. Later I realized after I was through the area, the blue box northwest of la says contact la approach on 134.9, as does the 'shoreline route' box, but I did not see that until I later reviewed the chart on the ground. Bad, but an understandable goof! I should have gotten an IFR clearance through the area! It was an unprofessional approach that I applied to an area I thought I was familiar with. Assumptions and chart reading in busy areas can cause errors!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF TCA.

Narrative: IN VFR DSNT FROM NW ON BURBANK APCH CTL 128.75. WAS TURNED OVER TO LA APCH ON 134.2 AFTER REQUESTING THROUGH TCA TO FULLERTON AND BEING TOLD BY BURBANK TO FLY LA SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA DIRECT SMA VOR AND PROCEED AT PROPER ALT (3500') SEBND. COULD NOT GET RESPONSE FROM LAX 134.2 SO PROCEEDED ON WHAT I UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE OLD VFR CORRIDOR OVER LAX BUT READ THE 'SHORELINE RTE' DEPICTION AND PROCEEDED 1/2 MI OFF SHORE 3500' SEBND TO EL SEGUANDO REFINERY THEN E. FLYING, ROUTING, ALTS, AND SPDS WERE ALL LEGAL WITH NO AIR TFC PROBS, NO EVASIVE ACTION. UPON RECEIVING THE CHART LATER I REALIZED I WAS LOOKING AT AND FOLLOWING SHORELINE RTE INSTRUCTIONS BUT WAS THINKING SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA SO CONTINUED, AFTER CALLING APCH CTL 4 TIMES W/O RESPONSE. REALIZED LATER I WAS ACTUALLY IN AREA THAT REQUIRED CLRNC. NAV EBND FROM EL SEGUNDO REFINERY WAS ALL AT LEGAL ALTS BELOW TCA AND OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH ATA. THE ONLY THING I COULD BE 'CHARGED' WITH WOULD BE FLYING THROUGH W/O ATC CLRNC, EVEN THOUGH I HAD TRIED. TCA CHART IN MAGENTA BOX NW OF LA, W OF VAN NUYS SAYS CONTACT APCH ON 134.2. BURBANK APCH GAVE ME 134.2. LATER I REALIZED AFTER I WAS THROUGH THE AREA, THE BLUE BOX NW OF LA SAYS CONTACT LA APCH ON 134.9, AS DOES THE 'SHORELINE RTE' BOX, BUT I DID NOT SEE THAT UNTIL I LATER REVIEWED THE CHART ON THE GND. BAD, BUT AN UNDERSTANDABLE GOOF! I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN IFR CLRNC THROUGH THE AREA! IT WAS AN UNPROFESSIONAL APCH THAT I APPLIED TO AN AREA I THOUGHT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. ASSUMPTIONS AND CHART READING IN BUSY AREAS CAN CAUSE ERRORS!

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.