Narrative:

Bottom line is I made an unauthorized TCA entry! I had reviewed the slc VFR sectional chart before takeoff and knew the TCA was only a short distance north of salt lake municipal #2 airport (identification=U42). I had talked to the FBO and asked for their advice on getting a VFR TCA clearance. I followed that by picking up slc ATIS while on the ground and calling departure while only 500 ft AGL. They gave me a squawk code. However, I was so busy talking to them, dialing the code, identing, watching for pattern traffic that I went too far north and entered the part of the TCA that extends to the ground. Within seconds they had me radar idented and told me I had just barely entered the TCA. They gave me a vector out and that was the end of it (I think/hope). I believe this situation is easy to enter at U42 and other airports in similar locations. I believe a cheap and easy solution would be to erect a large billboard in/near the runup or departure area. Similar to noise abatement billboards in similar locations (runup) this sign would have a large warning about the proximity of the TCA and could suggest procedures to avoid the problem. Cheap/easy/effective. Under U42 also note that the airport facilities directory makes no mention of this potential hazard and suggests no solution!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS ARPT BENEATH TCA. PENETRATES TCA WHILE TRYING TO RECEIVE CLRNC TO TRANSIT TCA.

Narrative: BOTTOM LINE IS I MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED TCA ENTRY! I HAD REVIEWED THE SLC VFR SECTIONAL CHART BEFORE TKOF AND KNEW THE TCA WAS ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE N OF SALT LAKE MUNICIPAL #2 ARPT (ID=U42). I HAD TALKED TO THE FBO AND ASKED FOR THEIR ADVICE ON GETTING A VFR TCA CLRNC. I FOLLOWED THAT BY PICKING UP SLC ATIS WHILE ON THE GND AND CALLING DEP WHILE ONLY 500 FT AGL. THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE. HOWEVER, I WAS SO BUSY TALKING TO THEM, DIALING THE CODE, IDENTING, WATCHING FOR PATTERN TFC THAT I WENT TOO FAR N AND ENTERED THE PART OF THE TCA THAT EXTENDS TO THE GND. WITHIN SECONDS THEY HAD ME RADAR IDENTED AND TOLD ME I HAD JUST BARELY ENTERED THE TCA. THEY GAVE ME A VECTOR OUT AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT (I THINK/HOPE). I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION IS EASY TO ENTER AT U42 AND OTHER ARPTS IN SIMILAR LOCATIONS. I BELIEVE A CHEAP AND EASY SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ERECT A LARGE BILLBOARD IN/NEAR THE RUNUP OR DEP AREA. SIMILAR TO NOISE ABATEMENT BILLBOARDS IN SIMILAR LOCATIONS (RUNUP) THIS SIGN WOULD HAVE A LARGE WARNING ABOUT THE PROX OF THE TCA AND COULD SUGGEST PROCS TO AVOID THE PROBLEM. CHEAP/EASY/EFFECTIVE. UNDER U42 ALSO NOTE THAT THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY MAKES NO MENTION OF THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD AND SUGGESTS NO SOLUTION!

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.