Small aircraft pilot penetrates arsa where ceiling changes to 5400' from 4500'.

Attributes
ACN	169560
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
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 : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	169560
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I flew to montgomery to pick up our branch manager and then flew up the coast, through the corridor and onto ontario, all at 4500' MSL. In the process I over flew the orange county arsa. This is something I never do as I am always flying to or from sna but not over it. I think I probably flew through the southeast portion of the arsa that goes to 5400'. As you can see, 4500' MSL is a very workable altitude in southern ca. Also, all the other arsas around are 4000' AGL. Only this one quadrant of this one arsa can't be cleared by flying either 4500' MSL or 4500' AGL. I have never read of another condition like this. I think I got too comfortable in knowing which altitudes work when flying to and from my home field and didn't check which altitude I should fly when specifically flying over the southeast corner of a nonstandard arsa. My recommendation is for me to rechk proper altitudes, even when in familiar airspace and for the FAA to standardize that altitude to 4400'. Ps I discovered this as I fell asleep that night thinking about the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PENETRATES ARSA WHERE CEILING CHANGES TO 5400' FROM 4500'.

Narrative: I FLEW TO MONTGOMERY TO PICK UP OUR BRANCH MGR AND THEN FLEW UP THE COAST, THROUGH THE CORRIDOR AND ONTO ONTARIO, ALL AT 4500' MSL. IN THE PROCESS I OVER FLEW THE ORANGE COUNTY ARSA. THIS IS SOMETHING I NEVER DO AS I AM ALWAYS FLYING TO OR FROM SNA BUT NOT OVER IT. I THINK I PROBABLY FLEW THROUGH THE SE PORTION OF THE ARSA THAT GOES TO 5400'. AS YOU CAN SEE, 4500' MSL IS A VERY WORKABLE ALT IN SOUTHERN CA. ALSO, ALL THE OTHER ARSAS AROUND ARE 4000' AGL. ONLY THIS ONE QUADRANT OF THIS ONE ARSA CAN'T BE CLRED BY FLYING EITHER 4500' MSL OR 4500' AGL. I HAVE NEVER READ OF ANOTHER CONDITION LIKE THIS. I THINK I GOT TOO COMFORTABLE IN KNOWING WHICH ALTS WORK WHEN FLYING TO AND FROM MY HOME FIELD AND DIDN'T CHK WHICH ALT I SHOULD FLY WHEN SPECIFICALLY FLYING OVER THE SE CORNER OF A NONSTANDARD ARSA. MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR ME TO RECHK PROPER ALTS, EVEN WHEN IN FAMILIAR AIRSPACE AND FOR THE FAA TO STANDARDIZE THAT ALT TO 4400'. PS I DISCOVERED THIS AS I FELL ASLEEP THAT NIGHT THINKING ABOUT THE FLT.

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.