Reporter is accused of entering the dca TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	194881
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bal
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 573 flight time type : 312
ASRS Report	194881
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Took off from frederick airport on a flight course direct to harford county (churchville) maryland. A copy of the terminal area chart I was using, with the course marked on it, is enclosed. Cruising altitude was 3000 ft MSL. The chart clearly shows the course barely touches the 20 NM ATC control area. Navigation was by VOR and pilotage. The expected chkpoints came up as planned. A transponder number was assigned. Shortly before arriving at harford county, baltimore approach control advised that I had violated the TCA. Since the floor of the TCA was 3500 ft at the point where I was touching it, and since I was outside of it, at an altitude of 3000 ft MSL, I don't know how I could have violated the balance airspace. Since a squawk was assigned, perhaps the controller could have advised me if I were violating the airspace and vectored me around the area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter assured analyst that the correct altimeter setting had been obtained and set. He said he wasn't sure ATC was talking to the right aircraft and another aircraft might have been the culprit. He said his companion was a very careful, thorough, experienced pilot and he is confident they did not stray into the TCA. He said they do have a mode C and it has no history of erroneous readings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR IS ACCUSED OF ENTERING THE DCA TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM FREDERICK ARPT ON A FLT COURSE DIRECT TO HARFORD COUNTY (CHURCHVILLE) MARYLAND. A COPY OF THE TERMINAL AREA CHART I WAS USING, WITH THE COURSE MARKED ON IT, IS ENCLOSED. CRUISING ALT WAS 3000 FT MSL. THE CHART CLRLY SHOWS THE COURSE BARELY TOUCHES THE 20 NM ATC CTL AREA. NAV WAS BY VOR AND PILOTAGE. THE EXPECTED CHKPOINTS CAME UP AS PLANNED. A TRANSPONDER NUMBER WAS ASSIGNED. SHORTLY BEFORE ARRIVING AT HARFORD COUNTY, BALTIMORE APCH CTL ADVISED THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE TCA. SINCE THE FLOOR OF THE TCA WAS 3500 FT AT THE POINT WHERE I WAS TOUCHING IT, AND SINCE I WAS OUTSIDE OF IT, AT AN ALT OF 3000 FT MSL, I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE VIOLATED THE BAL AIRSPACE. SINCE A SQUAWK WAS ASSIGNED, PERHAPS THE CTLR COULD HAVE ADVISED ME IF I WERE VIOLATING THE AIRSPACE AND VECTORED ME AROUND THE AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ASSURED ANALYST THAT THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING HAD BEEN OBTAINED AND SET. HE SAID HE WASN'T SURE ATC WAS TALKING TO THE RIGHT ACFT AND ANOTHER ACFT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CULPRIT. HE SAID HIS COMPANION WAS A VERY CAREFUL, THOROUGH, EXPERIENCED PLT AND HE IS CONFIDENT THEY DID NOT STRAY INTO THE TCA. HE SAID THEY DO HAVE A MODE C AND IT HAS NO HISTORY OF ERRONEOUS READINGS.

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.