GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	179285
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	179285
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
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:

Approaching lax TCA from fillmore VOR, I inadvertently entered the southwest corner of the bur arsa and the edge of vny air traffic area. I had planned to fly the shoreline route through the lax TCA during my preflight planning. However, I also studied the lax special flight rules. Corridor route and the hollywood park route as alternates. About 30 mi out from lax, I contacted lax approach and requested the shoreline route southbound. The controller said the shoreline route was not available, but the hollywood route at 8500' and the lax special flight rules corridor were available. I replied that I would fly the lax special flight rules corridor and asked the controller to confirm the advisory frequency was 128.55. The controller advised me that I should use 128.55 and squawk 1201 while in the corridor. Note: WX, visibility, etc: the vny and bur areas had a low layer of smog with maybe 3 mi visibility on the ground. The slant visibility distance to the ground was poor making it difficult to identify landmarks. Low stratus clouds (tops 2000') extended across smo, lax and several mi off shore. No visibility landmarks available in the lax area. My next thought was to descend down to 3500' and quickly position myself to navigation to and through the corridor. I then realized that I had lost track of my exact location relative to vny. I knew I was outside the lax TCA and had been flying the lax 305 degree right inbound (heading 125 degrees). I turned left 100 degrees to parallel the lax TCA boundary. I decided to perform a descending right 360 degree turn down to 3500' to buy some time while I dialed in the 'from' lax and vny radials. I previously had the lax VOR in navigation 1 and vny VOR in navigation 2 for positioning, but had not continuously followed the lax position radial during my descent through 5500'. I had entered the southwest corner of the bur arsa at 4500'. I turned to 130 degrees and tuned in smo and tracked inbound. The passage through the corridor at 3500' was uneventful. After I landed in catalina I looked closely at the chart. I estimated that I had been just inside of the bur arsa and vny air traffic area simultaneously.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: APCHING LAX TCA FROM FILLMORE VOR, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE SW CORNER OF THE BUR ARSA AND THE EDGE OF VNY ATA. I HAD PLANNED TO FLY THE SHORELINE RTE THROUGH THE LAX TCA DURING MY PREFLT PLANNING. HOWEVER, I ALSO STUDIED THE LAX SPECIAL FLT RULES. CORRIDOR RTE AND THE HOLLYWOOD PARK RTE AS ALTERNATES. ABOUT 30 MI OUT FROM LAX, I CONTACTED LAX APCH AND REQUESTED THE SHORELINE RTE SBND. THE CTLR SAID THE SHORELINE RTE WAS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT THE HOLLYWOOD RTE AT 8500' AND THE LAX SPECIAL FLT RULES CORRIDOR WERE AVAILABLE. I REPLIED THAT I WOULD FLY THE LAX SPECIAL FLT RULES CORRIDOR AND ASKED THE CTLR TO CONFIRM THE ADVISORY FREQ WAS 128.55. THE CTLR ADVISED ME THAT I SHOULD USE 128.55 AND SQUAWK 1201 WHILE IN THE CORRIDOR. NOTE: WX, VISIBILITY, ETC: THE VNY AND BUR AREAS HAD A LOW LAYER OF SMOG WITH MAYBE 3 MI VISIBILITY ON THE GND. THE SLANT VISIBILITY DISTANCE TO THE GND WAS POOR MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO IDENT LANDMARKS. LOW STRATUS CLOUDS (TOPS 2000') EXTENDED ACROSS SMO, LAX AND SEVERAL MI OFF SHORE. NO VIS LANDMARKS AVAILABLE IN THE LAX AREA. MY NEXT THOUGHT WAS TO DSND DOWN TO 3500' AND QUICKLY POS MYSELF TO NAV TO AND THROUGH THE CORRIDOR. I THEN REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST TRACK OF MY EXACT LOCATION RELATIVE TO VNY. I KNEW I WAS OUTSIDE THE LAX TCA AND HAD BEEN FLYING THE LAX 305 DEG R INBND (HDG 125 DEGS). I TURNED LEFT 100 DEGS TO PARALLEL THE LAX TCA BOUNDARY. I DECIDED TO PERFORM A DSNDING RIGHT 360 DEG TURN DOWN TO 3500' TO BUY SOME TIME WHILE I DIALED IN THE 'FROM' LAX AND VNY RADIALS. I PREVIOUSLY HAD THE LAX VOR IN NAV 1 AND VNY VOR IN NAV 2 FOR POSITIONING, BUT HAD NOT CONTINUOUSLY FOLLOWED THE LAX POS RADIAL DURING MY DSNT THROUGH 5500'. I HAD ENTERED THE SW CORNER OF THE BUR ARSA AT 4500'. I TURNED TO 130 DEGS AND TUNED IN SMO AND TRACKED INBND. THE PASSAGE THROUGH THE CORRIDOR AT 3500' WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER I LANDED IN CATALINA I LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE CHART. I ESTIMATED THAT I HAD BEEN JUST INSIDE OF THE BUR ARSA AND VNY ATA SIMULTANEOUSLY.

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.