Small aircraft enters air traffic area without contact.

Attributes
ACN	160019
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	160019
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Business trip to myf. Visibility 5-8 mi throughout greater san diego area. We had left L26 and once over lax basin could see the restr visibility below. Reaching the fallbrook-escondido, discovered I had to spiral down below the overcast. (Good wide area--didn't have to bore through a hole.) this is the area in which I learned to fly--thought I knew it like the back of my hand. Did not use radio navigation at all. Once below the overcast, headed west toward shoreline to avoid an TCA. Wandered into crq's air traffic area. Once discovered, I turned north to leave the area as quickly as possible. What I learned: although WX was legal VFR, it was below my personal minimums. Never again will I not use all available sources of information available (i.e., VOR's, ADF, etc). I will never let the boss force or coerce my judgement or personal minimums. Side note: when I realized what had happened,I should have landed asp. I was so shook up that my performance for the rest of the flight was nt up to standards. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he is an FAA controller and knows he will not do this again. Did contact approach to have them hold his hand through the TCA to montgomery. Had that nagging feeling that he did not want to be there, did not want to be doing this. No more!! Boss is not a pilot and had no understanding except that he wanted to get there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS ATA WITHOUT CONTACT.

Narrative: BUSINESS TRIP TO MYF. VISIBILITY 5-8 MI THROUGHOUT GREATER SAN DIEGO AREA. WE HAD LEFT L26 AND ONCE OVER LAX BASIN COULD SEE THE RESTR VISIBILITY BELOW. REACHING THE FALLBROOK-ESCONDIDO, DISCOVERED I HAD TO SPIRAL DOWN BELOW THE OVCST. (GOOD WIDE AREA--DIDN'T HAVE TO BORE THROUGH A HOLE.) THIS IS THE AREA IN WHICH I LEARNED TO FLY--THOUGHT I KNEW IT LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND. DID NOT USE RADIO NAV AT ALL. ONCE BELOW THE OVCST, HEADED W TOWARD SHORELINE TO AVOID AN TCA. WANDERED INTO CRQ'S ATA. ONCE DISCOVERED, I TURNED N TO LEAVE THE AREA AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WHAT I LEARNED: ALTHOUGH WX WAS LEGAL VFR, IT WAS BELOW MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS. NEVER AGAIN WILL I NOT USE ALL AVAILABLE SOURCES OF INFO AVAILABLE (I.E., VOR'S, ADF, ETC). I WILL NEVER LET THE BOSS FORCE OR COERCE MY JUDGEMENT OR PERSONAL MINIMUMS. SIDE NOTE: WHEN I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED,I SHOULD HAVE LANDED ASP. I WAS SO SHOOK UP THAT MY PERFORMANCE FOR THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NT UP TO STANDARDS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE IS AN FAA CTLR AND KNOWS HE WILL NOT DO THIS AGAIN. DID CONTACT APCH TO HAVE THEM HOLD HIS HAND THROUGH THE TCA TO MONTGOMERY. HAD THAT NAGGING FEELING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE, DID NOT WANT TO BE DOING THIS. NO MORE!! BOSS IS NOT A PLT AND HAD NO UNDERSTANDING EXCEPT THAT HE WANTED TO GET THERE.

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.