Small aircraft pilot encroaches on lax TCA after flying in through VFR corridor, turning to avoid th...

Attributes
ACN	210378
Time
Date	199205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
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	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 420 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	210378
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Possible intrusion in TCA after exiting VFR overflt corridor of lax TCA. Using smo VOR to track the overflt - - no problem here, but when alter course after clearing corridor, got flag on VOR while altering course to avoid the bur arsa. Selected heading to avoid arsa, but got confused with ground references versus TCA chart -- prominent road I thought was under arsa was actually another road that was north of TCA -- in turning away from what I thought was the arsa, I appear to have turned towards the TCA -- I noticed the coast was 'in the wrong place,' realized where I was, I turned north and LORAN indicated clear of TCA. I actually don't know for sure if I entered the TCA, grazed the edge or didn't enter at all. I have 2 comments: 1) the presence of an arsa north of the VFR corridor creates a potential obstacle for a VFR pilot. 2) the lack of correlation between some TCA segment boundaries and the ground can cause confusion -- this is the opposite of the VFR corridor itself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENCROACHES ON LAX TCA AFTER FLYING IN THROUGH VFR CORRIDOR, TURNING TO AVOID THE BUR ARSA, BUT LOSING TRACK OF GND REFS THAT HELP DEFINE THE BOUNDARY OF THE LAX TCA.

Narrative: POSSIBLE INTRUSION IN TCA AFTER EXITING VFR OVERFLT CORRIDOR OF LAX TCA. USING SMO VOR TO TRACK THE OVERFLT - - NO PROBLEM HERE, BUT WHEN ALTER COURSE AFTER CLRING CORRIDOR, GOT FLAG ON VOR WHILE ALTERING COURSE TO AVOID THE BUR ARSA. SELECTED HDG TO AVOID ARSA, BUT GOT CONFUSED WITH GND REFS VERSUS TCA CHART -- PROMINENT ROAD I THOUGHT WAS UNDER ARSA WAS ACTUALLY ANOTHER ROAD THAT WAS N OF TCA -- IN TURNING AWAY FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ARSA, I APPEAR TO HAVE TURNED TOWARDS THE TCA -- I NOTICED THE COAST WAS 'IN THE WRONG PLACE,' REALIZED WHERE I WAS, I TURNED N AND LORAN INDICATED CLR OF TCA. I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF I ENTERED THE TCA, GRAZED THE EDGE OR DIDN'T ENTER AT ALL. I HAVE 2 COMMENTS: 1) THE PRESENCE OF AN ARSA N OF THE VFR CORRIDOR CREATES A POTENTIAL OBSTACLE FOR A VFR PLT. 2) THE LACK OF CORRELATION BTWN SOME TCA SEGMENT BOUNDARIES AND THE GND CAN CAUSE CONFUSION -- THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE VFR CORRIDOR ITSELF.

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.

Small aircraft pilot encroaches on lax TCA after flying in through VFR corridor, turning to avoid the bur arsa, but losing track of ground references that help define the boundary of the lax TCA.