Narrative:

Flight from ccb to sna. Distance is about 34 NM. Even in a small aircraft time en route is under 20 mins. WX was 7 mi visibility in cable area with 20 mi visibility to the south. Listened to poc ATIS before taking off. Departed cable at PM39 local, called brackett tower, and transitioned their control zone from northeast to south. Flew south along pomona VORTAC (poc) 176 radial. I stayed in communication with brackett tower until clear of south edge of ont arsa. I took a min or so and listened to sna ATIS. About 15 NM north of sna airport, I called coast approach on 121.3 and gave them my position, level at 2800 ft, and landing john wayne with november. Controller told me to squawk xx and identify. I readback squawk code then switched transponder to new code. Controller did not tell me to remain clear. I expected controller to call 'radar contact' in a half min or so. There was very heavy frequency congestion. About 10 NM north of sna, I hadn't heard from controller, so I called to request a VFR descent. It took a couple mins and several calls to get through to the controller. By the time he responded, I was 5-6 mi north of sna and still at 2800 ft. When I asked for a descent, he said to remain clear and gave me a new squawk code of xy. I couldn't remain clear as I was at the edge of the inner core (obviously inside the outer core), so I started an immediate right turn and switched to the new transponder code. He reported radar contact, cleared me for the descent, and told me to proceed. He then called me (i.e., an aircraft in right turn at my position) as traffic to other inbound aircraft. I rapidly descended, completed the handoff to tower, and landed without further incident. I think that the controller was overworked and forgot about me. I was unable to call for verification any sooner due to frequency congestion. If I had been in a faster aircraft, the situation could have been even worse. ATC should consider splitting that sna approach sector into 2 position's with 2 controllers on separate frequencys.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF ARSA.

Narrative: FLT FROM CCB TO SNA. DISTANCE IS ABOUT 34 NM. EVEN IN A SMA TIME ENRTE IS UNDER 20 MINS. WX WAS 7 MI VISIBILITY IN CABLE AREA WITH 20 MI VISIBILITY TO THE S. LISTENED TO POC ATIS BEFORE TAKING OFF. DEPARTED CABLE AT PM39 LCL, CALLED BRACKETT TWR, AND TRANSITIONED THEIR CTL ZONE FROM NE TO S. FLEW S ALONG POMONA VORTAC (POC) 176 RADIAL. I STAYED IN COM WITH BRACKETT TWR UNTIL CLR OF S EDGE OF ONT ARSA. I TOOK A MIN OR SO AND LISTENED TO SNA ATIS. ABOUT 15 NM N OF SNA ARPT, I CALLED COAST APCH ON 121.3 AND GAVE THEM MY POS, LEVEL AT 2800 FT, AND LNDG JOHN WAYNE WITH NOVEMBER. CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK XX AND IDENT. I READBACK SQUAWK CODE THEN SWITCHED TRANSPONDER TO NEW CODE. CTLR DID NOT TELL ME TO REMAIN CLR. I EXPECTED CTLR TO CALL 'RADAR CONTACT' IN A HALF MIN OR SO. THERE WAS VERY HVY FREQ CONGESTION. ABOUT 10 NM N OF SNA, I HADN'T HEARD FROM CTLR, SO I CALLED TO REQUEST A VFR DSCNT. IT TOOK A COUPLE MINS AND SEVERAL CALLS TO GET THROUGH TO THE CTLR. BY THE TIME HE RESPONDED, I WAS 5-6 MI N OF SNA AND STILL AT 2800 FT. WHEN I ASKED FOR A DSCNT, HE SAID TO REMAIN CLR AND GAVE ME A NEW SQUAWK CODE OF XY. I COULDN'T REMAIN CLR AS I WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE INNER CORE (OBVIOUSLY INSIDE THE OUTER CORE), SO I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE R TURN AND SWITCHED TO THE NEW TRANSPONDER CODE. HE RPTED RADAR CONTACT, CLRED ME FOR THE DSCNT, AND TOLD ME TO PROCEED. HE THEN CALLED ME (I.E., AN ACFT IN R TURN AT MY POS) AS TFC TO OTHER INBOUND ACFT. I RAPIDLY DSNDED, COMPLETED THE HDOF TO TWR, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I THINK THAT THE CTLR WAS OVERWORKED AND FORGOT ABOUT ME. I WAS UNABLE TO CALL FOR VERIFICATION ANY SOONER DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. IF I HAD BEEN IN A FASTER ACFT, THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE. ATC SHOULD CONSIDER SPLITTING THAT SNA APCH SECTOR INTO 2 POS'S WITH 2 CTLRS ON SEPARATE FREQS.

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.