Narrative:

I was planning a short (30 NM) flight from ann arbor to mettetal canton (plymouth), mi to pick up the owner of the aircraft. The WX was 4000' and 5 mi visibility with haze. I planned the route of flight by using the sectional and terminal area chart. Since this was my first flight in ann arbor, and first flight alone after coming to mi from fl, I decided to fly direct to salem VOR at frequency 114.30 with 'to' flag at 2500', because the outer area of the dtw TCA starts at 3000'. After I passed salem VOR, I turned right to a heading of 147 degrees to intercept the 127 degree right with 'from' flag, because mettetal was on this course. My altitude was still 2500' to stay below TCA. I flew for about 5-6 mins on this course to look for mettetal west/O finding it. Then I made a 180 degree turn so I stayed away from the inner area of the TCA which starts at surface. After I made the 180 degree turn I flew for a couple of mins and circled around the area at 2500' where I thought mettetal had to be after I checked with the chart. After a few seconds I found mettetal and I landed the aircraft and taxied to the FBO on the field. The dispatcher at FBO said I had to call dtw. I called and they said they followed my route on the screen. They said they saw me pass mettetal and make a 180 degree turn and fly slightly into the inner circle of the TCA and land at mettetal. They wanted an explanation as to why I flew into the inner circle. I said the reason must be unfamiliarity with area and low visibility. They then took my certificate # and said I should be more careful next time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA, UNFAMILIAR WITH AREA AND SEARCHING FOR SMALL ARPT LOCATED UNDER TCA, PENETRATES THE TCA.

Narrative: I WAS PLANNING A SHORT (30 NM) FLT FROM ANN ARBOR TO METTETAL CANTON (PLYMOUTH), MI TO PICK UP THE OWNER OF THE ACFT. THE WX WAS 4000' AND 5 MI VISIBILITY WITH HAZE. I PLANNED THE RTE OF FLT BY USING THE SECTIONAL AND TERMINAL AREA CHART. SINCE THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN ANN ARBOR, AND FIRST FLT ALONE AFTER COMING TO MI FROM FL, I DECIDED TO FLY DIRECT TO SALEM VOR AT FREQ 114.30 WITH 'TO' FLAG AT 2500', BECAUSE THE OUTER AREA OF THE DTW TCA STARTS AT 3000'. AFTER I PASSED SALEM VOR, I TURNED RIGHT TO A HDG OF 147 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 127 DEG R WITH 'FROM' FLAG, BECAUSE METTETAL WAS ON THIS COURSE. MY ALT WAS STILL 2500' TO STAY BELOW TCA. I FLEW FOR ABOUT 5-6 MINS ON THIS COURSE TO LOOK FOR METTETAL W/O FINDING IT. THEN I MADE A 180 DEG TURN SO I STAYED AWAY FROM THE INNER AREA OF THE TCA WHICH STARTS AT SURFACE. AFTER I MADE THE 180 DEG TURN I FLEW FOR A COUPLE OF MINS AND CIRCLED AROUND THE AREA AT 2500' WHERE I THOUGHT METTETAL HAD TO BE AFTER I CHKED WITH THE CHART. AFTER A FEW SECS I FOUND METTETAL AND I LANDED THE ACFT AND TAXIED TO THE FBO ON THE FIELD. THE DISPATCHER AT FBO SAID I HAD TO CALL DTW. I CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY FOLLOWED MY RTE ON THE SCREEN. THEY SAID THEY SAW ME PASS METTETAL AND MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND FLY SLIGHTLY INTO THE INNER CIRCLE OF THE TCA AND LAND AT METTETAL. THEY WANTED AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY I FLEW INTO THE INNER CIRCLE. I SAID THE REASON MUST BE UNFAMILIARITY WITH AREA AND LOW VISIBILITY. THEY THEN TOOK MY CERTIFICATE # AND SAID I SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME.

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.