Flight crew of government navigation facility check aircraft allegedly penetrated atl TCA.

Attributes
ACN	193657
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl airport : fty
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6400 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : phx
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	193657
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	193661
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

FAA aircraft, flight inspection, VFR 9500 ft en route to fty airport. Reported to atl approach on the ATC 222 degree radial 39.8 DME. Utilizing the sectional charts depiction of the atlanta TCA began a rapid descent to 2500 ft. ATC advised us that we were in TCA at 30 NM. My response was 'checking the chart I thought we were below it'. I then gave him my atl DME as 30.1 DME. Also observed altitude descending through 6400 ft. After leveling off at 2500 ft. I observed our distance from fulton county airport on the RNAV as 23.8 NM. If this is indeed a 'TCA' penetration, then a contributing factor is the sectional charts depiction of the TCA and the blue mode C arc imposing as an area of 10000 ft floor vice 8000 ft floor. This particular southwest corridor leads one to believe the floor of the TCA in that area is 10000 ft and not 8000 ft. ATC (of course) discovered the alleged penetration. A warning by ATC was issued at the same time a transponder code was issued, however, I feel that if the controller was about to observe an aircraft commit an ATC violation of airspace, then the pilot should have been advised prior to this instance. Corrective action should be to clean up the sectional chart as aforementioned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF GOV NAV FACILITY CHK ACFT ALLEGEDLY PENETRATED ATL TCA.

Narrative: FAA ACFT, FLT INSPECTION, VFR 9500 FT ENRTE TO FTY ARPT. RPTED TO ATL APCH ON THE ATC 222 DEG RADIAL 39.8 DME. UTILIZING THE SECTIONAL CHARTS DEPICTION OF THE ATLANTA TCA BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT TO 2500 FT. ATC ADVISED US THAT WE WERE IN TCA AT 30 NM. MY RESPONSE WAS 'CHKING THE CHART I THOUGHT WE WERE BELOW IT'. I THEN GAVE HIM MY ATL DME AS 30.1 DME. ALSO OBSERVED ALT DSNDING THROUGH 6400 FT. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 2500 FT. I OBSERVED OUR DISTANCE FROM FULTON COUNTY ARPT ON THE RNAV AS 23.8 NM. IF THIS IS INDEED A 'TCA' PENETRATION, THEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE SECTIONAL CHARTS DEPICTION OF THE TCA AND THE BLUE MODE C ARC IMPOSING AS AN AREA OF 10000 FT FLOOR VICE 8000 FT FLOOR. THIS PARTICULAR SW CORRIDOR LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE THE FLOOR OF THE TCA IN THAT AREA IS 10000 FT AND NOT 8000 FT. ATC (OF COURSE) DISCOVERED THE ALLEGED PENETRATION. A WARNING BY ATC WAS ISSUED AT THE SAME TIME A TRANSPONDER CODE WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT IF THE CTLR WAS ABOUT TO OBSERVE AN ACFT COMMIT AN ATC VIOLATION OF AIRSPACE, THEN THE PLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVISED PRIOR TO THIS INSTANCE. CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TO CLEAN UP THE SECTIONAL CHART AS AFOREMENTIONED.

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.