VFR pilot above overcast transits control zone after told to remain clear.

Attributes
ACN	155733
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eug
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eug tower : eug
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 2896 flight time type : 2749
ASRS Report	155733
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying VFR squawking 1200 in mode C from aurora, or to medford at 3500' via eug using a LORAN for navigation. I was not receiving VFR radar advisories and so was not talking to anyone on the ground. Eug was IFR with cloud tops at 1600' and it was cavu above. 8 or 9 mi north of eug (according to the LORAN) I called eug tower (which I had been monitoring) to let them know I was there. The reply was 'remain clear of the control zone, call approach on 120.2.' I was stunned; I have been told to stay out of everything else but never a control zone. I was above the air traffic area and in VFR WX conditions and thought that was all I had to do. I now think I was just inside the zone when given that instruction since it extends 10 SM north, but at the time I thought that I was still outside since I hadn't checked the map. Anyway, I didn't make a 180 degree turn and leave the zone as I now realize I should have. I replied that I was switching to the approach control frequency and did so with the hope that he could clear me in before I entered the zone. This didn't work out. By the time the approach controller had located me I was 2MI north of the eug VOR and so well inside the zone. The approach controller made no mention of my unapproved zone entry. He handled me normally and later handed me off to ZSE for VFR flight following. My first error was in not realizing that a control zone can turn into a miniature TCA when an airport is fogged in. I thought I would be legal above the air traffic area in VFR conditions. My second error was in calling the tower when I was too close to react to unexpected instructions. My third error was in not immediately obeying the tower and making a 180 degree turn when told to remain clear of the zone. I thought I had the time to work things out with the approach controller, but I realize now I didn't. Events like this can be reduced by educating pilots about how to handle control zones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PLT ABOVE OVERCAST TRANSITS CTL ZONE AFTER TOLD TO REMAIN CLEAR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR SQUAWKING 1200 IN MODE C FROM AURORA, OR TO MEDFORD AT 3500' VIA EUG USING A LORAN FOR NAV. I WAS NOT RECEIVING VFR RADAR ADVISORIES AND SO WAS NOT TALKING TO ANYONE ON THE GND. EUG WAS IFR WITH CLOUD TOPS AT 1600' AND IT WAS CAVU ABOVE. 8 OR 9 MI N OF EUG (ACCORDING TO THE LORAN) I CALLED EUG TWR (WHICH I HAD BEEN MONITORING) TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS THERE. THE REPLY WAS 'REMAIN CLR OF THE CTL ZONE, CALL APCH ON 120.2.' I WAS STUNNED; I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO STAY OUT OF EVERYTHING ELSE BUT NEVER A CTL ZONE. I WAS ABOVE THE ATA AND IN VFR WX CONDITIONS AND THOUGHT THAT WAS ALL I HAD TO DO. I NOW THINK I WAS JUST INSIDE THE ZONE WHEN GIVEN THAT INSTRUCTION SINCE IT EXTENDS 10 SM N, BUT AT THE TIME I THOUGHT THAT I WAS STILL OUTSIDE SINCE I HADN'T CHKED THE MAP. ANYWAY, I DIDN'T MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND LEAVE THE ZONE AS I NOW REALIZE I SHOULD HAVE. I REPLIED THAT I WAS SWITCHING TO THE APCH CTL FREQ AND DID SO WITH THE HOPE THAT HE COULD CLR ME IN BEFORE I ENTERED THE ZONE. THIS DIDN'T WORK OUT. BY THE TIME THE APCH CTLR HAD LOCATED ME I WAS 2MI N OF THE EUG VOR AND SO WELL INSIDE THE ZONE. THE APCH CTLR MADE NO MENTION OF MY UNAPPROVED ZONE ENTRY. HE HANDLED ME NORMALLY AND LATER HANDED ME OFF TO ZSE FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING. MY FIRST ERROR WAS IN NOT REALIZING THAT A CTL ZONE CAN TURN INTO A MINIATURE TCA WHEN AN ARPT IS FOGGED IN. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE LEGAL ABOVE THE ATA IN VFR CONDITIONS. MY SECOND ERROR WAS IN CALLING THE TWR WHEN I WAS TOO CLOSE TO REACT TO UNEXPECTED INSTRUCTIONS. MY THIRD ERROR WAS IN NOT IMMEDIATELY OBEYING THE TWR AND MAKING A 180 DEG TURN WHEN TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ZONE. I THOUGHT I HAD THE TIME TO WORK THINGS OUT WITH THE APCH CTLR, BUT I REALIZE NOW I DIDN'T. EVENTS LIKE THIS CAN BE REDUCED BY EDUCATING PLTS ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE CTL ZONES.

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.