Narrative:

I was on flight from rno to sjc under a VFR flight plan. First part of the flight was uneventful. I called sacramento approach over auburn for flight following to sjc. I was flying at 6500' MLS. North of livermore, sacramento approach handed me off to stockton approach who asked me to advise of any altitude or heading change. I acknowledged but I didn't transmit any change since I was flying at 6500' on the sac R180 since the sac VORTAC, which I overflew. Few mins later stockton approach requested that I descend and maintain 3000'. I read back and complied. Then almost exactly over livermore airport, stockton approach asked me to remain clear of lvk air traffic area. I replied that I was at 3000' MSL (implicitly in mind 'as requested). The controller said that I should be at 3000' AGL. With conflicting orders I maintained 3000' MSL. I knew that I was going to overfly livermore airport and penetrate the air traffic area, but a very careful scan revealed no traffic and I simply thought that stockton approach controller coordinated over the land line with lvk tower. This procedure is fairly common between sjc and reid hillview towers (even before the arsa days).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT'S CONCERN IS VOICE ABOUT HIS POSSIBLE VIOLATION IN PENETRATING THE LVK ATA WITHOUT BEING IN CONTACT WITH TWR. PLT WAS IN COM WITH SCK APCH CTL FOR FLT FOLLOWING.

Narrative: I WAS ON FLT FROM RNO TO SJC UNDER A VFR FLT PLAN. FIRST PART OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I CALLED SACRAMENTO APCH OVER AUBURN FOR FLT FOLLOWING TO SJC. I WAS FLYING AT 6500' MLS. N OF LIVERMORE, SACRAMENTO APCH HANDED ME OFF TO STOCKTON APCH WHO ASKED ME TO ADVISE OF ANY ALT OR HDG CHANGE. I ACKNOWLEDGED BUT I DIDN'T XMIT ANY CHANGE SINCE I WAS FLYING AT 6500' ON THE SAC R180 SINCE THE SAC VORTAC, WHICH I OVERFLEW. FEW MINS LATER STOCKTON APCH REQUESTED THAT I DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000'. I READ BACK AND COMPLIED. THEN ALMOST EXACTLY OVER LIVERMORE ARPT, STOCKTON APCH ASKED ME TO REMAIN CLR OF LVK ATA. I REPLIED THAT I WAS AT 3000' MSL (IMPLICITLY IN MIND 'AS REQUESTED). THE CTLR SAID THAT I SHOULD BE AT 3000' AGL. WITH CONFLICTING ORDERS I MAINTAINED 3000' MSL. I KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO OVERFLY LIVERMORE ARPT AND PENETRATE THE ATA, BUT A VERY CAREFUL SCAN REVEALED NO TFC AND I SIMPLY THOUGHT THAT STOCKTON APCH CTLR COORDINATED OVER THE LAND LINE WITH LVK TWR. THIS PROC IS FAIRLY COMMON BTWN SJC AND REID HILLVIEW TWRS (EVEN BEFORE THE ARSA DAYS).

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.