Narrative:

I tuned the LORAN for a course direct to destination, asheville, nc (avl). I climbed to 3000 ft MSL, passed between towers 1849 and 2343. After crossing highway 321 (under construction) determining a position immediately southwest of the city of lincolnton, I determined that I was clear of the 100/36 TCA arc and began climb to 4500 ft MSL. On reaching 4500 ft I continued wbound for approximately 5 mins, at a ground speed of 90 KTS. I became concerned with the headwind and its likely effect on terrain clearance for crossing the high terrain east of asheville. I checked the atlanta sectional and noted the highest terrain along the route of flight was 4412. I felt that crossing the terrain at 4500 would not be prudent, and commenced climb to 6500, believing that, based on elapsed time, I was well clear of the 100/60 TCA segment and of the entire TCA. I contacted asheville approach about 20 mi out, was given a squawk code, and told no radar contact. About 15 mi out I was told radar contact and advised to call charlotte approach when on the ground, on calling, the charlotte tower supervisor advised that radar returns had shown that the aircraft had been in the TCA at 6500 ft altitude. If I did enter the TCA, I would offer the following suggestions for future TCA avoidance: positive ground reference before initiating any change in altitude which might lead to a TCA incursion. LORAN checks of distance from the TCA center. One problem with this, however, is that while the LORAN is xchking the TCA clearance, it cannot be used for navigational reference.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ALLEGEDLY CLBED INTO CLT TCA.

Narrative: I TUNED THE LORAN FOR A COURSE DIRECT TO DEST, ASHEVILLE, NC (AVL). I CLBED TO 3000 FT MSL, PASSED BTWN TWRS 1849 AND 2343. AFTER XING HIGHWAY 321 (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) DETERMINING A POS IMMEDIATELY SW OF THE CITY OF LINCOLNTON, I DETERMINED THAT I WAS CLR OF THE 100/36 TCA ARC AND BEGAN CLB TO 4500 FT MSL. ON REACHING 4500 FT I CONTINUED WBOUND FOR APPROX 5 MINS, AT A GND SPD OF 90 KTS. I BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE HEADWIND AND ITS LIKELY EFFECT ON TERRAIN CLRNC FOR XING THE HIGH TERRAIN E OF ASHEVILLE. I CHKED THE ATLANTA SECTIONAL AND NOTED THE HIGHEST TERRAIN ALONG THE RTE OF FLT WAS 4412. I FELT THAT XING THE TERRAIN AT 4500 WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT, AND COMMENCED CLB TO 6500, BELIEVING THAT, BASED ON ELAPSED TIME, I WAS WELL CLR OF THE 100/60 TCA SEGMENT AND OF THE ENTIRE TCA. I CONTACTED ASHEVILLE APCH ABOUT 20 MI OUT, WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE, AND TOLD NO RADAR CONTACT. ABOUT 15 MI OUT I WAS TOLD RADAR CONTACT AND ADVISED TO CALL CHARLOTTE APCH WHEN ON THE GND, ON CALLING, THE CHARLOTTE TWR SUPVR ADVISED THAT RADAR RETURNS HAD SHOWN THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN THE TCA AT 6500 FT ALT. IF I DID ENTER THE TCA, I WOULD OFFER THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE TCA AVOIDANCE: POSITIVE GND REF BEFORE INITIATING ANY CHANGE IN ALT WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO A TCA INCURSION. LORAN CHKS OF DISTANCE FROM THE TCA CENTER. ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS, HOWEVER, IS THAT WHILE THE LORAN IS XCHKING THE TCA CLRNC, IT CANNOT BE USED FOR NAVIGATIONAL REF.

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.