Small aircraft penetrates air traffic area while attempting to contact tower.

Attributes
ACN	146519
Time
Date	199005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nuq airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : nuq
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	146519
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed IFR from apple valley, ca, to san jose. Cancelled IFR when contacted bay approach control for VFR landing at palo alto. Due to traffic on final approach, landing north at moffett, they vectored me through the san jose TCA and about 5 mi from moffett told me to contact moffett tower. At this time I was being passed to my left by airplane on final approach to moffett. After 30 to 45 seconds with no radio contact with moffett I turned west to clear their traffic area. Went behind the plane on final which I had in sight for several mins as he passed me. Later I contacted palo alto tower for landing. Bay approach control was extremely busy. To my knowledge there was no safety problems during the occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PENETRATES ATA WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT TWR.

Narrative: FILED IFR FROM APPLE VALLEY, CA, TO SAN JOSE. CANCELLED IFR WHEN CONTACTED BAY APCH CTL FOR VFR LNDG AT PALO ALTO. DUE TO TFC ON FINAL APCH, LNDG N AT MOFFETT, THEY VECTORED ME THROUGH THE SAN JOSE TCA AND ABOUT 5 MI FROM MOFFETT TOLD ME TO CONTACT MOFFETT TWR. AT THIS TIME I WAS BEING PASSED TO MY L BY AIRPLANE ON FINAL APCH TO MOFFETT. AFTER 30 TO 45 SECS WITH NO RADIO CONTACT WITH MOFFETT I TURNED W TO CLR THEIR TFC AREA. WENT BEHIND THE PLANE ON FINAL WHICH I HAD IN SIGHT FOR SEVERAL MINS AS HE PASSED ME. LATER I CONTACTED PALO ALTO TWR FOR LNDG. BAY APCH CTL WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS NO SAFETY PROBS DURING THE OCCURRENCE.

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.