Small transport enters arsa without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	187754
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : lax tracon : sba
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	187754
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed cma for flight to check egt's which had been recalibrated. Climbed out from cma to 12500 MSL and contacted los angeles center for advisories. West of santa barbara, I descended heading 270 and advised center of my VFR descent. I assumed los angeles center was monitoring my progress with respect to santa barbara arsa but not so. Los angeles did not hand me off to sba approach until between 2000-1500 ft MSL. The santa barbara controller advised that I had caused a traffic conflict by not getting an arsa clearance. I should have requested the frequency change to santa barbara while still above the arsa since at one point, I was 8500 ft over the top of the arsa! As a 'VFR advisory' aircraft I was low priority for the los angeles center controller, but it would have been reasonable for him to hand me off to santa barbara earlier. Nonetheless, it was also my responsibility and I should have exercised that by requesting the frequency change earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENTERS ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED CMA FOR FLT TO CHK EGT'S WHICH HAD BEEN RECALIBRATED. CLBED OUT FROM CMA TO 12500 MSL AND CONTACTED LOS ANGELES CENTER FOR ADVISORIES. W OF SANTA BARBARA, I DSNDED HDG 270 AND ADVISED CENTER OF MY VFR DSCNT. I ASSUMED LOS ANGELES CENTER WAS MONITORING MY PROGRESS WITH RESPECT TO SANTA BARBARA ARSA BUT NOT SO. LOS ANGELES DID NOT HAND ME OFF TO SBA APCH UNTIL BTWN 2000-1500 FT MSL. THE SANTA BARBARA CTLR ADVISED THAT I HAD CAUSED A TFC CONFLICT BY NOT GETTING AN ARSA CLRNC. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED THE FREQ CHANGE TO SANTA BARBARA WHILE STILL ABOVE THE ARSA SINCE AT ONE POINT, I WAS 8500 FT OVER THE TOP OF THE ARSA! AS A 'VFR ADVISORY' ACFT I WAS LOW PRIORITY FOR THE LOS ANGELES CENTER CTLR, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REASONABLE FOR HIM TO HAND ME OFF TO SANTA BARBARA EARLIER. NONETHELESS, IT WAS ALSO MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I SHOULD HAVE EXERCISED THAT BY REQUESTING THE FREQ CHANGE EARLIER.

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.