Small aircraft climbs into the lax TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	158478
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4900 msl bound upper : 4900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 181 flight time type : 39
ASRS Report	158478
Events
Anomaly	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:

I was en route from van nuys to santa monica over ventura. My party and I decided to fly the coast-line south to santa monica. I called pt mugo while we were over ventura and requested a transition south to santa monica. Pt mugo gave me a squawk and then gave me a frequency change after my party had transitioned their airspace. At that time I began conducting some turns and decided to climb so that I would be able to glide to a safe landing in the event of an engine out. It was at this time that I made the mistake of climbing into the TCA. I climbed to 4900'. By this time I was approaching the santa monica airport, so I began my descent. It is my estimate that my craft violated the TCA for approximately 12 mi in the malibu area. Contributing factors: I had not intended to fly the coast-line to santa monica, so my route was not planned. The flight was intended to be for fun. Because I had friends on board, it appears that I failed to pay as much attention to where I was as I should have. I did, however, watch very closely for other air traffic as I knew that the area we were traversing was a well traveled area. I believe what caused the problem was my lack of experience while flying at night and my lack of experience with flying in the los angeles area. In order to prevent this from happening again, I need to develop a more disciplined approach to flight planning. When flying in a highly controled area I will need to fly from point to point and I must plan my route in such a way that all considerations are made as to airspace, terrain, traffic etc. I will also be careful not to be distraction when I have passengers on board.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLIMBS INTO THE LAX TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM VAN NUYS TO SANTA MONICA OVER VENTURA. MY PARTY AND I DECIDED TO FLY THE COAST-LINE S TO SANTA MONICA. I CALLED PT MUGO WHILE WE WERE OVER VENTURA AND REQUESTED A TRANSITION S TO SANTA MONICA. PT MUGO GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND THEN GAVE ME A FREQ CHANGE AFTER MY PARTY HAD TRANSITIONED THEIR AIRSPACE. AT THAT TIME I BEGAN CONDUCTING SOME TURNS AND DECIDED TO CLB SO THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GLIDE TO A SAFE LNDG IN THE EVENT OF AN ENG OUT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I MADE THE MISTAKE OF CLBING INTO THE TCA. I CLBED TO 4900'. BY THIS TIME I WAS APCHING THE SANTA MONICA ARPT, SO I BEGAN MY DSNT. IT IS MY ESTIMATE THAT MY CRAFT VIOLATED THE TCA FOR APPROX 12 MI IN THE MALIBU AREA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I HAD NOT INTENDED TO FLY THE COAST-LINE TO SANTA MONICA, SO MY RTE WAS NOT PLANNED. THE FLT WAS INTENDED TO BE FOR FUN. BECAUSE I HAD FRIENDS ON BOARD, IT APPEARS THAT I FAILED TO PAY AS MUCH ATTN TO WHERE I WAS AS I SHOULD HAVE. I DID, HOWEVER, WATCH VERY CLOSELY FOR OTHER AIR TFC AS I KNEW THAT THE AREA WE WERE TRAVERSING WAS A WELL TRAVELED AREA. I BELIEVE WHAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE WHILE FLYING AT NIGHT AND MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH FLYING IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I NEED TO DEVELOP A MORE DISCIPLINED APCH TO FLT PLANNING. WHEN FLYING IN A HIGHLY CTLED AREA I WILL NEED TO FLY FROM POINT TO POINT AND I MUST PLAN MY RTE IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALL CONSIDERATIONS ARE MADE AS TO AIRSPACE, TERRAIN, TFC ETC. I WILL ALSO BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE DISTR WHEN I HAVE PAXS ON BOARD.

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.