Narrative:

The incident happened while en route from el monte to long beach. Visibility was poor, about 4-5 mi in haze and smoke. I determined that a heading of approximately 190 degree would take me directly to lgb. Because of poor visibility and my unfamiliarity with the local area I was having trouble establishing my position with ground references. I decided I would fly my heading which would take me directly to lgb. I didn't realize that my gyro compass wasn't properly aligned with my magnetic compass. The course I was actually following was taking me directly to hawthorne airport. I didn't realize I was off course, but I thought I must have been about 10 mi from lgb. I called lgb tower and told them I was approximately 10 mi northeast of the field. They told me to prepare for a right 45 degree entry for runway 25R. The tower called back several mins later for a position report. I told the tower I was unsure of my position and they told me to 'squawk 4200' and 'identify'. I did. Several mins later they called and told me I was 'off course somewhere near compton.' they instructed me to contact los angeles approach. I contacted los angeles approach and established radar contact. They gave me a heading to fly to get back on course and handed me off to lgb tower. I landed safely at lgb shortly after. While flying off course I inadvertently penetrated the las TCA and the hawthorne air traffic area. I have determined that there were several factors contributing to this incident: poor judgement on my part (I should never have taken off under the existing conditions). Poor preflight planning. Inexperience and unfamiliarity with area. Should have contacted los angeles approach after takeoff for flight following through area.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE ENRTE FROM EL MONTE TO LONG BEACH. VISIBILITY WAS POOR, ABOUT 4-5 MI IN HAZE AND SMOKE. I DETERMINED THAT A HDG OF APPROX 190 DEG WOULD TAKE ME DIRECTLY TO LGB. BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY AND MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE LCL AREA I WAS HAVING TROUBLE ESTABLISHING MY POS WITH GND REFERENCES. I DECIDED I WOULD FLY MY HDG WHICH WOULD TAKE ME DIRECTLY TO LGB. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT MY GYRO COMPASS WASN'T PROPERLY ALIGNED WITH MY MAGNETIC COMPASS. THE COURSE I WAS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING WAS TAKING ME DIRECTLY TO HAWTHORNE ARPT. I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS OFF COURSE, BUT I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 10 MI FROM LGB. I CALLED LGB TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS APPROX 10 MI NE OF THE FIELD. THEY TOLD ME TO PREPARE FOR A R 45 DEG ENTRY FOR RWY 25R. THE TWR CALLED BACK SEVERAL MINS LATER FOR A POS RPT. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS UNSURE OF MY POS AND THEY TOLD ME TO 'SQUAWK 4200' AND 'IDENT'. I DID. SEVERAL MINS LATER THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME I WAS 'OFF COURSE SOMEWHERE NEAR COMPTON.' THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT LOS ANGELES APCH. I CONTACTED LOS ANGELES APCH AND ESTABLISHED RADAR CONTACT. THEY GAVE ME A HDG TO FLY TO GET BACK ON COURSE AND HANDED ME OFF TO LGB TWR. I LANDED SAFELY AT LGB SHORTLY AFTER. WHILE FLYING OFF COURSE I INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED THE LAS TCA AND THE HAWTHORNE ATA. I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT: POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART (I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN OFF UNDER THE EXISTING CONDITIONS). POOR PREFLT PLANNING. INEXPERIENCE AND UNFAMILIARITY WITH AREA. SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED LOS ANGELES APCH AFTER TKOF FOR FLT FOLLOWING THROUGH AREA.

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.