Erroneous penetration of airspace. Proximity of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	191938
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdk airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	191938
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Took off from huntsville, al, 20 min prior VFR. Receiving VFR flight following, I asked the approach controller (not yet on atl approach) if he would hand us off or can he give us TCA clearance, we were 30 NM from pdk. He said ask the next controller. He terminated radar service, 1200, and gave me the atl approach frequency to contact. I tried multiple times to break in on the frequency, but it was packed. I told the captain we needed to stay clear of the TCA, and he said we will stay on top of it. I got the sectional out and he took it. I took the aircraft and began to level our descent. The captain opened the sectional saw a TCA and the top was 10000, he took the aircraft while I continued to call approach. The captain leveled off at 10000. After radio and squawk were made, we were radar contact 10 NM west of pdk 'in the TCA!' said ATC controller. My captain said 'tell him the chart says 10000 ft.' I relayed the message and then looked at the open sectional to see charlotte TCA face up! Top of TCA 10000. Yes the atl TCA was up to 12000 ft. I asked for further descent into pdk and controller replied, 'go ahead you have already broke every other altitude!' I should have gotten the sectional out much earlier to become familiar with the boundaries.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM HUNTSVILLE, AL, 20 MIN PRIOR VFR. RECEIVING VFR FLT FOLLOWING, I ASKED THE APCH CTLR (NOT YET ON ATL APCH) IF HE WOULD HAND US OFF OR CAN HE GIVE US TCA CLRNC, WE WERE 30 NM FROM PDK. HE SAID ASK THE NEXT CTLR. HE TERMINATED RADAR SVC, 1200, AND GAVE ME THE ATL APCH FREQ TO CONTACT. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO BREAK IN ON THE FREQ, BUT IT WAS PACKED. I TOLD THE CAPT WE NEEDED TO STAY CLR OF THE TCA, AND HE SAID WE WILL STAY ON TOP OF IT. I GOT THE SECTIONAL OUT AND HE TOOK IT. I TOOK THE ACFT AND BEGAN TO LEVEL OUR DSCNT. THE CAPT OPENED THE SECTIONAL SAW A TCA AND THE TOP WAS 10000, HE TOOK THE ACFT WHILE I CONTINUED TO CALL APCH. THE CAPT LEVELED OFF AT 10000. AFTER RADIO AND SQUAWK WERE MADE, WE WERE RADAR CONTACT 10 NM W OF PDK 'IN THE TCA!' SAID ATC CTLR. MY CAPT SAID 'TELL HIM THE CHART SAYS 10000 FT.' I RELAYED THE MESSAGE AND THEN LOOKED AT THE OPEN SECTIONAL TO SEE CHARLOTTE TCA FACE UP! TOP OF TCA 10000. YES THE ATL TCA WAS UP TO 12000 FT. I ASKED FOR FURTHER DSCNT INTO PDK AND CTLR REPLIED, 'GO AHEAD YOU HAVE ALREADY BROKE EVERY OTHER ALT!' I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE SECTIONAL OUT MUCH EARLIER TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE BOUNDARIES.

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.