Unauthorized penetration of airspace. Proximity of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	202828
Time
Date	199202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 6150
ASRS Report	202808
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed smo intending to fly coast line to sba. After departure realized course directly into sun (setting), deviating to go direct sba over mountains northwest. Climbing on autoplt with vigilance outside (normal route smo direct fil, climb to approximately 5000 ft at 15 mi - (edge of TCA) and clear TCA in that sector.) checking LORAN for distance - waited for it to cycle through alerts of sjc (destination) arsa, sba arsa, bur arsa and finally lax suddenly saw lax TCA 'in' 17 1/2 mi. I was surprised I was in as recalled 15 mi would clear -(using lax sectional insert for navigation) noticed then that for the sector I was in and altitude, floor was 4000 ft. The floor in that area is unsafe for terrain clearance and light - moderate turbulence from northwest wind over mountains - since already over the mountains and near edge of TCA continued and cleared at approximately 21 mi. Noticed sector obstruction maximum altitude for section 52 printed right next to 125/40 TCA altitudes. Causes: poor preflight planning - pilot deviation from pilots normal procedure - pilot TCA location altitude floor - not appropriate for terrain clearance - TCA planner sectional marking - mileage indicators on TCA chart would be helpful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: DEPARTED SMO INTENDING TO FLY COAST LINE TO SBA. AFTER DEP REALIZED COURSE DIRECTLY INTO SUN (SETTING), DEVIATING TO GO DIRECT SBA OVER MOUNTAINS NW. CLBING ON AUTOPLT WITH VIGILANCE OUTSIDE (NORMAL RTE SMO DIRECT FIL, CLB TO APPROX 5000 FT AT 15 MI - (EDGE OF TCA) AND CLR TCA IN THAT SECTOR.) CHKING LORAN FOR DISTANCE - WAITED FOR IT TO CYCLE THROUGH ALERTS OF SJC (DEST) ARSA, SBA ARSA, BUR ARSA AND FINALLY LAX SUDDENLY SAW LAX TCA 'IN' 17 1/2 MI. I WAS SURPRISED I WAS IN AS RECALLED 15 MI WOULD CLR -(USING LAX SECTIONAL INSERT FOR NAV) NOTICED THEN THAT FOR THE SECTOR I WAS IN AND ALT, FLOOR WAS 4000 FT. THE FLOOR IN THAT AREA IS UNSAFE FOR TERRAIN CLRNC AND LIGHT - MODERATE TURB FROM NW WIND OVER MOUNTAINS - SINCE ALREADY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND NEAR EDGE OF TCA CONTINUED AND CLRED AT APPROX 21 MI. NOTICED SECTOR OBSTRUCTION MAX ALT FOR SECTION 52 PRINTED R NEXT TO 125/40 TCA ALTS. CAUSES: POOR PREFLT PLANNING - PLTDEV FROM PLTS NORMAL PROC - PLT TCA LOCATION ALT FLOOR - NOT APPROPRIATE FOR TERRAIN CLRNC - TCA PLANNER SECTIONAL MARKING - MILEAGE INDICATORS ON TCA CHART WOULD BE HELPFUL.

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.