GA pilot makes unauthorized penetration of lax TCA.

Attributes
ACN	202845
Time
Date	199202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4400 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	202845
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure point fullerton. I discussed procedure with FSS for leaving la basin VFR. Lax 'corridor' was his recommendation. 'Just follow procedure -- okay to do.' tower at fullerton cleared me with squawk code and coast control frequency where I said I wanted the la corridor. Coast picked me up at about 1000 ft cleared me to 2500, passed me off to next controller who cleared me to 4500 ft. I told one, or both, what I was doing, ie, la 'corridor.' last instruction from coast control was squawk VFR, proceed on course and resume own navigation. Had been vectored up to that time. I carefully followed charts through corridor -- assuming that coast had cleared me through 'corridor.' most of path was below TCA but right at lax departure path, TCA drops from 4500 ft to sea level. I reestablished contact with burbank for flight following when out from under TCA and was informed of possible TCA violation. I was puzzled as the path I flew was exactly as I thought coast had told me to follow. It was then that the note on la TCA VFR chart became clear to me. Contact 124.9(?) etc, before following procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT MAKES UNAUTH PENETRATION OF LAX TCA.

Narrative: DEP POINT FULLERTON. I DISCUSSED PROC WITH FSS FOR LEAVING LA BASIN VFR. LAX 'CORRIDOR' WAS HIS RECOMMENDATION. 'JUST FOLLOW PROC -- OKAY TO DO.' TWR AT FULLERTON CLRED ME WITH SQUAWK CODE AND COAST CTL FREQ WHERE I SAID I WANTED THE LA CORRIDOR. COAST PICKED ME UP AT ABOUT 1000 FT CLRED ME TO 2500, PASSED ME OFF TO NEXT CTLR WHO CLRED ME TO 4500 FT. I TOLD ONE, OR BOTH, WHAT I WAS DOING, IE, LA 'CORRIDOR.' LAST INSTRUCTION FROM COAST CTL WAS SQUAWK VFR, PROCEED ON COURSE AND RESUME OWN NAV. HAD BEEN VECTORED UP TO THAT TIME. I CAREFULLY FOLLOWED CHARTS THROUGH CORRIDOR -- ASSUMING THAT COAST HAD CLRED ME THROUGH 'CORRIDOR.' MOST OF PATH WAS BELOW TCA BUT RIGHT AT LAX DEP PATH, TCA DROPS FROM 4500 FT TO SEA LEVEL. I REESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH BURBANK FOR FLT FOLLOWING WHEN OUT FROM UNDER TCA AND WAS INFORMED OF POSSIBLE TCA VIOLATION. I WAS PUZZLED AS THE PATH I FLEW WAS EXACTLY AS I THOUGHT COAST HAD TOLD ME TO FOLLOW. IT WAS THEN THAT THE NOTE ON LA TCA VFR CHART BECAME CLR TO ME. CONTACT 124.9(?) ETC, BEFORE FOLLOWING PROC.

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.