Narrative:

My wife and I departed eqy en route to 2nc0, a private airstrip in the nc mountains. VMC prevailed. Intent was to fly VFR with flight following instead of IFR as I usually do. As soon as we were airborne I attempted to contact clt approach 120.05 once with no reply and finally received a 'stand by'. Finally was issued a transponder code and told to 'maintain VFR clear the TCA'. In times past both IFR and VFR, I have been issued vectors either north or south of clt depending on what runway and approach/departure corridors were being used. I was not radar idented and I mistakenly continued into the TCA expecting vectors around clt. Not having heard from the controller, I contacted him to ask for vector north or south and he responded with 'make an immediate turn to 180 degree' and subsequently asked me if I knew what a TCA was! I was then ordered to call the tower and discuss the situation with the watch supervisor when I got close to a telephone which I did when we returned home early that evening. When I explained the above scenario to him, he wanted to know why I expected to be treated the same as in the past as procedures change and since I had violated the TCA they had no choice but to turn me in. I know what I did was wrong, but I was honestly doing all that with good intent to avoid the bulk of traffic into and out of clt. If the controller had said maintain VFR and stay clear or stay out of the TCA it would have soaked in better that day. In the future my options will be to go IFR, or VFR 'flight following' but stay well below and out of the TCA, or finally stay clear and never contact the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON VFR FLT ENTERED CLT TCA.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED EQY ENRTE TO 2NC0, A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN THE NC MOUNTAINS. VMC PREVAILED. INTENT WAS TO FLY VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING INSTEAD OF IFR AS I USUALLY DO. AS SOON AS WE WERE AIRBORNE I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT CLT APCH 120.05 ONCE WITH NO REPLY AND FINALLY RECEIVED A 'STAND BY'. FINALLY WAS ISSUED A TRANSPONDER CODE AND TOLD TO 'MAINTAIN VFR CLR THE TCA'. IN TIMES PAST BOTH IFR AND VFR, I HAVE BEEN ISSUED VECTORS EITHER N OR S OF CLT DEPENDING ON WHAT RWY AND APCH/DEP CORRIDORS WERE BEING USED. I WAS NOT RADAR IDENTED AND I MISTAKENLY CONTINUED INTO THE TCA EXPECTING VECTORS AROUND CLT. NOT HAVING HEARD FROM THE CTLR, I CONTACTED HIM TO ASK FOR VECTOR N OR S AND HE RESPONDED WITH 'MAKE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 180 DEG' AND SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHAT A TCA WAS! I WAS THEN ORDERED TO CALL THE TWR AND DISCUSS THE SITUATION WITH THE WATCH SUPVR WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO A TELEPHONE WHICH I DID WHEN WE RETURNED HOME EARLY THAT EVENING. WHEN I EXPLAINED THE ABOVE SCENARIO TO HIM, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY I EXPECTED TO BE TREATED THE SAME AS IN THE PAST AS PROCS CHANGE AND SINCE I HAD VIOLATED THE TCA THEY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN ME IN. I KNOW WHAT I DID WAS WRONG, BUT I WAS HONESTLY DOING ALL THAT WITH GOOD INTENT TO AVOID THE BULK OF TFC INTO AND OUT OF CLT. IF THE CTLR HAD SAID MAINTAIN VFR AND STAY CLR OR STAY OUT OF THE TCA IT WOULD HAVE SOAKED IN BETTER THAT DAY. IN THE FUTURE MY OPTIONS WILL BE TO GO IFR, OR VFR 'FLT FOLLOWING' BUT STAY WELL BELOW AND OUT OF THE TCA, OR FINALLY STAY CLR AND NEVER CONTACT THE CTLR.

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.