Narrative:

I have been doing this route of flight for 1 yr almost every day, lately 3 times/day. With approximately 400 hours in the type aircraft, I feel that I am more than competent to fly it. I took off from bur with VFR arsa clearance. On course at or below 2500' until advised. I turned on course and climbed out. Tower was very busy and didn't have time to/forgot to switch me to departure, so I reached 2500' and leveled off. When tower had time, I asked to switch to departure. Tower said, 'affirmative, departure 124.6; correction, squawk 1200; frequency change approved.' since I already had exited the arsa, I squawked 1201, switched to 122.75 traffic advisory frequency and turned my land lights on--all as specified for flying through the special flight rule area. Coming closer to smo VOR I started to reduce power to slow aircraft to 140 KIAS. I intercepted smo 132 degree right and flew straight through the TCA and the special flight rule area. After passing the sfra, I turned land lights off, squawked 1200, gave climb power and started a climb to 5500'. At that time I realized that my altitude was 2500', not 3500'. At that time it was too late to correct any mistake. I continued my flight to myf. Where had it gone wrong? When bur tower never handled me to approach. Usually tower switches me to approach before reaching 2500', and they always say altitude of your discretion and I just continue to 3500' before leveling off. I was so into my old procedures so I forgot to climb from 2500 to 3500'. I believed that I was at correct altitude and kept that altitude perfectly, 1000' off! I know now not to rely on old procedures. Always treat every situation as a totally new situation and original. Check, then double-check and triple-check everything as you do as a beginner.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT TRANSITS SFRA AT WRONG ALT.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS RTE OF FLT FOR 1 YR ALMOST EVERY DAY, LATELY 3 TIMES/DAY. WITH APPROX 400 HRS IN THE TYPE ACFT, I FEEL THAT I AM MORE THAN COMPETENT TO FLY IT. I TOOK OFF FROM BUR WITH VFR ARSA CLRNC. ON COURSE AT OR BELOW 2500' UNTIL ADVISED. I TURNED ON COURSE AND CLBED OUT. TWR WAS VERY BUSY AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO/FORGOT TO SWITCH ME TO DEP, SO I REACHED 2500' AND LEVELED OFF. WHEN TWR HAD TIME, I ASKED TO SWITCH TO DEP. TWR SAID, 'AFFIRMATIVE, DEP 124.6; CORRECTION, SQUAWK 1200; FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' SINCE I ALREADY HAD EXITED THE ARSA, I SQUAWKED 1201, SWITCHED TO 122.75 TFC ADVISORY FREQ AND TURNED MY LAND LIGHTS ON--ALL AS SPECIFIED FOR FLYING THROUGH THE SPECIAL FLT RULE AREA. COMING CLOSER TO SMO VOR I STARTED TO REDUCE PWR TO SLOW ACFT TO 140 KIAS. I INTERCEPTED SMO 132 DEG R AND FLEW STRAIGHT THROUGH THE TCA AND THE SPECIAL FLT RULE AREA. AFTER PASSING THE SFRA, I TURNED LAND LIGHTS OFF, SQUAWKED 1200, GAVE CLB PWR AND STARTED A CLB TO 5500'. AT THAT TIME I REALIZED THAT MY ALT WAS 2500', NOT 3500'. AT THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE TO CORRECT ANY MISTAKE. I CONTINUED MY FLT TO MYF. WHERE HAD IT GONE WRONG? WHEN BUR TWR NEVER HANDLED ME TO APCH. USUALLY TWR SWITCHES ME TO APCH BEFORE REACHING 2500', AND THEY ALWAYS SAY ALT OF YOUR DISCRETION AND I JUST CONTINUE TO 3500' BEFORE LEVELING OFF. I WAS SO INTO MY OLD PROCS SO I FORGOT TO CLB FROM 2500 TO 3500'. I BELIEVED THAT I WAS AT CORRECT ALT AND KEPT THAT ALT PERFECTLY, 1000' OFF! I KNOW NOW NOT TO RELY ON OLD PROCS. ALWAYS TREAT EVERY SITUATION AS A TOTALLY NEW SITUATION AND ORIGINAL. CHK, THEN DOUBLE-CHK AND TRIPLE-CHK EVERYTHING AS YOU DO AS A BEGINNER.

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.