Narrative:

I contacted cdw control tower about 20 NM from the airport after crossing the hudson river at the tappan zee bridge to report 5 mi from the airport. The aircraft is equipped with DME and, a few mins later, I gave him my distance and course to sbj which was 32 NM out and inbound on a course of 240 degrees. This placed me 5 NM to the northeast of the airport but I did not yet see it. However, the controller seemed unable to use this information. He treated me as though I was lost and he wanted to determine my position with respect to landmarks. I finally spotted cdw approximately 2 mi to my right. This placed me off course and dangerously close to the TCA. When I reported my position, the controller asked me to squawk 7700 and I complied. I was not given any indication that I was inside the TCA. I believe that I was still outside of the TCA but much closer than I would like to be. I requested return to a VFR squawk and resumed normal navigation. I have taken some time to analyze the factors which I believe contributed to this incident. I was not prepared to answer the controllers question in a suitable form. I should have been more aware of my distance from the airport. I should not have allowed distrs created by the controller to deter me from my intended method of navigation which was by radio rather than pilotage. I could have avoided this situation by planning a course which was not quite so close to the TCA. Rather than spending so much time and effort trying to determine my position he could have simply reminded me of the proximity of the TCA and allowed me to navigation in accordance with my training and preparations for this flight in order to remain clear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA USING SBJ RADIAL AND DISTANCE FROM THE VOR TO LOCATE CDW, NJ, MAY HAVE ENTERED N90 TCA.

Narrative: I CONTACTED CDW CTL TWR ABOUT 20 NM FROM THE ARPT AFTER XING THE HUDSON RIVER AT THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE TO RPT 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. THE ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH DME AND, A FEW MINS LATER, I GAVE HIM MY DISTANCE AND COURSE TO SBJ WHICH WAS 32 NM OUT AND INBND ON A COURSE OF 240 DEGS. THIS PLACED ME 5 NM TO THE NE OF THE ARPT BUT I DID NOT YET SEE IT. HOWEVER, THE CTLR SEEMED UNABLE TO USE THIS INFO. HE TREATED ME AS THOUGH I WAS LOST AND HE WANTED TO DETERMINE MY POS WITH RESPECT TO LANDMARKS. I FINALLY SPOTTED CDW APPROX 2 MI TO MY R. THIS PLACED ME OFF COURSE AND DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE TCA. WHEN I RPTED MY POS, THE CTLR ASKED ME TO SQUAWK 7700 AND I COMPLIED. I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY INDICATION THAT I WAS INSIDE THE TCA. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS STILL OUTSIDE OF THE TCA BUT MUCH CLOSER THAN I WOULD LIKE TO BE. I REQUESTED RETURN TO A VFR SQUAWK AND RESUMED NORMAL NAV. I HAVE TAKEN SOME TIME TO ANALYZE THE FACTORS WHICH I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. I WAS NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER THE CTLRS QUESTION IN A SUITABLE FORM. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF MY DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED DISTRS CREATED BY THE CTLR TO DETER ME FROM MY INTENDED METHOD OF NAV WHICH WAS BY RADIO RATHER THAN PILOTAGE. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS SITUATION BY PLANNING A COURSE WHICH WAS NOT QUITE SO CLOSE TO THE TCA. RATHER THAN SPENDING SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT TRYING TO DETERMINE MY POS HE COULD HAVE SIMPLY REMINDED ME OF THE PROX OF THE TCA AND ALLOWED ME TO NAV IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY TRNING AND PREPARATIONS FOR THIS FLT IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR.

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.