Pilot reporter wanted to go through the TCA, but controller issued a heading and altitude toward TCA. Controller did not specifically state cleared through TCA. Pilot confused.

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Attributes
ACN	214541
Time
Date	199207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1550 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	214541
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was cruising at 9500 ft VFR approach towards the sfo TCA from the northwest. Destination was sjc. I was anticipating a TCA clearance for descent. I was given a late handoff from ZOA to bay approach very close to the TCA. Upon initial contact with bay, I requested a descent through the TCA. The controller immediately assigned me a heading of 110 degrees and a descent to 6500 and began calling out jet traffic. He never said 'cleared through the TCA,' but the vector and descent would take me straight through it. I meant to clarify before reaching 8000, but he was busy with other aircraft and then I was busy looking for traffic. By the time I realized I had gone through the TCA, I was already clear of the TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTR WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE TCA, BUT CTLR ISSUED A HDG AND ALT TOWARD TCA. CTLR DID NOT SPECIFICALLY STATE CLRED THROUGH TCA. PLT CONFUSED.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT 9500 FT VFR APCH TOWARDS THE SFO TCA FROM THE NW. DEST WAS SJC. I WAS ANTICIPATING A TCA CLRNC FOR DSCNT. I WAS GIVEN A LATE HDOF FROM ZOA TO BAY APCH VERY CLOSE TO THE TCA. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH BAY, I REQUESTED A DSCNT THROUGH THE TCA. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY ASSIGNED ME A HDG OF 110 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 6500 AND BEGAN CALLING OUT JET TFC. HE NEVER SAID 'CLRED THROUGH THE TCA,' BUT THE VECTOR AND DSCNT WOULD TAKE ME STRAIGHT THROUGH IT. I MEANT TO CLARIFY BEFORE REACHING 8000, BUT HE WAS BUSY WITH OTHER ACFT AND THEN I WAS BUSY LOOKING FOR TFC. BY THE TIME I REALIZED I HAD GONE THROUGH THE TCA, I WAS ALREADY CLR OF THE TCA.

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.