Narrative:

Chain of events: upon recognition of a possible problem developing, a flight route other than previously planned was taken out of perceived necessity. This set the stage for penetration of controled airspace, where VFR airspace is at a min around los angeles. Human performance: concentration in the cockpit centered on problems at hand (erratic oil pressure, ill passenger) and flying the aircraft safely to destination. Failed to recognize my route would cross a sector of TCA airspace which extended to the surface. Of course, the realization was all too quick once the smo controller mentioned 'los angeles approach'. VFR pleasure flight with 2 passenger departed smo airport after same-day purchase and study of los angeles TCA chart. Flew northwest along shoreline to view real estate near thousand oaks. Crossed shoreline west of malibu below TCA floor and track taken to catalina island (also planned to return to smo via north shoreline). Purposefully maintained 1000 ft MSL to avoid traffic which might be crossing higher altitude. Approximately 4-6 NM from catalina, noted erratic oil pressure indication on right engine, though other indications apparently ok (oil temperature, manifold pressure, etc). About the same time, a passenger who had earlier complained of mild nausea suddenly became ill. Faced with these 2 difficulties (particularly concerned about a possible engine problem over water), I chose to make a direct track to smo. After turning the aircraft around I flew a direct route via LORAN. Tuned in smo ATIS, followed by calling smo approximately 9.5 mi out for approach and landing. Smo controller asked if I was on los angeles approach, at which point I realized I likely penetrated the 124/sfc sector of the los angeles TCA. The smo controller requested that I squawk 7700 and contact los angeles approach, which I did. Los angeles approach verified that I had smo in sight, asked if I needed assistance, and I replied negative. I was then instructed to squawk 1200 and contact smo tower for landing, which proceeded without mishap. My error as pilot was in positional awareness in relation to TCA boundary, and failure to contact the appropriate ATC facility (approach versus tower). I chose to fly the airplane first, and in my not being aware of my position in relation to the 125/sfc portion of the TCA, I contacted the wrong ATC facility. Lesson learned: contact los angeles approach early (even if you know you're not in TCA airspace) if you have reason to make an urgent routing or landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ON OVERWATER FLT HAS OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM AND SICK PAX. REVERSAL OF COURSE, PENETRATES TCA BEFORE CONTACT.

Narrative: CHAIN OF EVENTS: UPON RECOGNITION OF A POSSIBLE PROBLEM DEVELOPING, A FLT RTE OTHER THAN PREVIOUSLY PLANNED WAS TAKEN OUT OF PERCEIVED NECESSITY. THIS SET THE STAGE FOR PENETRATION OF CTLED AIRSPACE, WHERE VFR AIRSPACE IS AT A MIN AROUND LOS ANGELES. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: CONCENTRATION IN THE COCKPIT CENTERED ON PROBLEMS AT HAND (ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE, ILL PAX) AND FLYING THE ACFT SAFELY TO DEST. FAILED TO RECOGNIZE MY RTE WOULD CROSS A SECTOR OF TCA AIRSPACE WHICH EXTENDED TO THE SURFACE. OF COURSE, THE REALIZATION WAS ALL TOO QUICK ONCE THE SMO CTLR MENTIONED 'LOS ANGELES APCH'. VFR PLEASURE FLT WITH 2 PAX DEPARTED SMO ARPT AFTER SAME-DAY PURCHASE AND STUDY OF LOS ANGELES TCA CHART. FLEW NW ALONG SHORELINE TO VIEW REAL ESTATE NEAR THOUSAND OAKS. CROSSED SHORELINE W OF MALIBU BELOW TCA FLOOR AND TRACK TAKEN TO CATALINA ISLAND (ALSO PLANNED TO RETURN TO SMO VIA N SHORELINE). PURPOSEFULLY MAINTAINED 1000 FT MSL TO AVOID TFC WHICH MIGHT BE XING HIGHER ALT. APPROX 4-6 NM FROM CATALINA, NOTED ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE INDICATION ON R ENG, THOUGH OTHER INDICATIONS APPARENTLY OK (OIL TEMP, MANIFOLD PRESSURE, ETC). ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A PAX WHO HAD EARLIER COMPLAINED OF MILD NAUSEA SUDDENLY BECAME ILL. FACED WITH THESE 2 DIFFICULTIES (PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE ENG PROBLEM OVER WATER), I CHOSE TO MAKE A DIRECT TRACK TO SMO. AFTER TURNING THE ACFT AROUND I FLEW A DIRECT RTE VIA LORAN. TUNED IN SMO ATIS, FOLLOWED BY CALLING SMO APPROX 9.5 MI OUT FOR APCH AND LNDG. SMO CTLR ASKED IF I WAS ON LOS ANGELES APCH, AT WHICH POINT I REALIZED I LIKELY PENETRATED THE 124/SFC SECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES TCA. THE SMO CTLR REQUESTED THAT I SQUAWK 7700 AND CONTACT LOS ANGELES APCH, WHICH I DID. LOS ANGELES APCH VERIFIED THAT I HAD SMO IN SIGHT, ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE, AND I REPLIED NEGATIVE. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CONTACT SMO TWR FOR LNDG, WHICH PROCEEDED WITHOUT MISHAP. MY ERROR AS PLT WAS IN POSITIONAL AWARENESS IN RELATION TO TCA BOUNDARY, AND FAILURE TO CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE ATC FACILITY (APCH VERSUS TWR). I CHOSE TO FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST, AND IN MY NOT BEING AWARE OF MY POS IN RELATION TO THE 125/SFC PORTION OF THE TCA, I CONTACTED THE WRONG ATC FACILITY. LESSON LEARNED: CONTACT LOS ANGELES APCH EARLY (EVEN IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT IN TCA AIRSPACE) IF YOU HAVE REASON TO MAKE AN URGENT RTING OR LNDG.

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.