Narrative:

The ATIS at el monte was reporting clear, 3 mi in haze. The ATIS at burbank airport was reporting 3 mi in haze. No indication of cloud cover. I was flying at 5500 ft direct from oxnard to van nuys VOR and in constant contact with burbank approach control (flight following). After van nuys VOR or exactly 30 NM from pomona VOR, I began my descent into el monte. It was here that I noticed the cloud cover, and the ground was getting more difficult to see, due to the fog. I began a rapid descent and veered slightly to the right of my course to get around the clouds (legally) and descend under the layer to find el monte airport. (I was tracking 090 degree (270 degree radial) direct to pomona VOR) staying above the los angeles TCA nearest the mountains. I began to get disoriented after veering right and decreasing visibility and followed what I thought was the #210 freeway. This was my only visual reference to the ground and I knew I could find the airport easily. It turns out that I was following the golden state #5 freeway instead (the 2 branch off into a Y in glendale-pasadena) which eventually led me into the TCA. The controller cleared me to descend unrestricted from 5500 ft and did not catch my position in the TCA until I was already in it. (Controller on 135.05). Did not tell me to stay clear of TCA, or catch me before I accidentally flew into it. (Traffic for controller was moderate.) when he did, he said 'you are in the TCA, suggest an immediate left turn 20 degrees.' I responded by 'sorry' and began an emergency descent below the TCA (I was 3000 MSL) in that sector and increased airspeed. I expedited as soon as possible (immediately) eventually remaining at 1500 ft MSL until finding el monte airport (direct route). After executing my descent and turn he then told me to squawk 1200 and contact el monte tower. I remained in marginal VFR during this entire incident and remained under the cloud layer. He did not say anything else or give me a number to call so I'm assuming I am ok and lucky to be alive. I do not feel good about what happened and it will not happen again. I only wish the controller could have caught me earlier. My flying career is very important to me. I feel that I could have avoided this by just filing IFR from van nuys to el monte. Factors could be: it was late, I was tired, pressed for time, getting the cargo to el monte on time (the approach immediately creates a 15 min late time), and overestimating my ability and knowledge of the area -- challenging poor WX conditions in a night time environment. The controller workload could have been reduced, even though I know it wasn't his responsibility. Next time, use better judgement, think more of the responsibility of myself and safety, not the schedule so much, and file IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA FREIGHTER PUSHING WX ATTEMPTING TO STAY VFR ENTERED LAX TCA ENRTE TO EL MONTE ARPT.

Narrative: THE ATIS AT EL MONTE WAS RPTING CLR, 3 MI IN HAZE. THE ATIS AT BURBANK ARPT WAS RPTING 3 MI IN HAZE. NO INDICATION OF CLOUD COVER. I WAS FLYING AT 5500 FT DIRECT FROM OXNARD TO VAN NUYS VOR AND IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH BURBANK APCH CTL (FLT FOLLOWING). AFTER VAN NUYS VOR OR EXACTLY 30 NM FROM POMONA VOR, I BEGAN MY DSCNT INTO EL MONTE. IT WAS HERE THAT I NOTICED THE CLOUD COVER, AND THE GND WAS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE, DUE TO THE FOG. I BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT AND VEERED SLIGHTLY TO THE R OF MY COURSE TO GET AROUND THE CLOUDS (LEGALLY) AND DSND UNDER THE LAYER TO FIND EL MONTE ARPT. (I WAS TRACKING 090 DEG (270 DEG RADIAL) DIRECT TO POMONA VOR) STAYING ABOVE THE LOS ANGELES TCA NEAREST THE MOUNTAINS. I BEGAN TO GET DISORIENTED AFTER VEERING R AND DECREASING VISIBILITY AND FOLLOWED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE #210 FREEWAY. THIS WAS MY ONLY VISUAL REF TO THE GND AND I KNEW I COULD FIND THE ARPT EASILY. IT TURNS OUT THAT I WAS FOLLOWING THE GOLDEN STATE #5 FREEWAY INSTEAD (THE 2 BRANCH OFF INTO A Y IN GLENDALE-PASADENA) WHICH EVENTUALLY LED ME INTO THE TCA. THE CTLR CLRED ME TO DSND UNRESTRICTED FROM 5500 FT AND DID NOT CATCH MY POS IN THE TCA UNTIL I WAS ALREADY IN IT. (CTLR ON 135.05). DID NOT TELL ME TO STAY CLR OF TCA, OR CATCH ME BEFORE I ACCIDENTALLY FLEW INTO IT. (TFC FOR CTLR WAS MODERATE.) WHEN HE DID, HE SAID 'YOU ARE IN THE TCA, SUGGEST AN IMMEDIATE L TURN 20 DEGS.' I RESPONDED BY 'SORRY' AND BEGAN AN EMER DSCNT BELOW THE TCA (I WAS 3000 MSL) IN THAT SECTOR AND INCREASED AIRSPD. I EXPEDITED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (IMMEDIATELY) EVENTUALLY REMAINING AT 1500 FT MSL UNTIL FINDING EL MONTE ARPT (DIRECT RTE). AFTER EXECUTING MY DSCNT AND TURN HE THEN TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CONTACT EL MONTE TWR. I REMAINED IN MARGINAL VFR DURING THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT AND REMAINED UNDER THE CLOUD LAYER. HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ELSE OR GIVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL SO I'M ASSUMING I AM OK AND LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I DO NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I ONLY WISH THE CTLR COULD HAVE CAUGHT ME EARLIER. MY FLYING CAREER IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I FEEL THAT I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS BY JUST FILING IFR FROM VAN NUYS TO EL MONTE. FACTORS COULD BE: IT WAS LATE, I WAS TIRED, PRESSED FOR TIME, GETTING THE CARGO TO EL MONTE ON TIME (THE APCH IMMEDIATELY CREATES A 15 MIN LATE TIME), AND OVERESTIMATING MY ABILITY AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA -- CHALLENGING POOR WX CONDITIONS IN A NIGHT TIME ENVIRONMENT. THE CTLR WORKLOAD COULD HAVE BEEN REDUCED, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT WASN'T HIS RESPONSIBILITY. NEXT TIME, USE BETTER JUDGEMENT, THINK MORE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MYSELF AND SAFETY, NOT THE SCHEDULE SO MUCH, AND FILE IFR.

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.