Unauthorized penetration of airspace. Proximity of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	242307
Time
Date	199305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bjc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	242307
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I awoke at XA30 this morning after about 5 or 6 hours of sleep to embark on a mountain chkout flight with my student. I arrived at the airport at XB30 for preflight and a WX briefing. I had agreed to pick my student up at another airport at XD00, then the 2 of us returned to the original airport to discuss the planned mountain flight. At XD25, my student and I took off for a 5 hour flight into the mountains with 5 mountain airport lndgs. The mountain portion of the flight proceeded without incident, however, thunderstorms in the area forced us to remain at 1 airport for approximately 4 hours until the WX moved to the east of denver. Mountain top winds dictated that we climb an extra 1000 ft before crossing the remaining mountain passes. Our altitude for about 20 mins was 13500 ft MSL and we had no supplemental oxygen. I had recently completed physiological training, and I knew one of my symptoms of hypoxia is fatigue. But, I felt confident that the short amount of time needed to cross the mountains would have no adverse effects and we were 'legal' for up to 30 mins between 12500 ft MSL and 14000 ft MSL without supplemental oxygen. There was some mountain obscurement remaining from the WX that had passed through the area earlier, and I chose to cross the mountains further south than planned. The violation occurred when, as a result of being further south and at a higher initial altitude descending with denver, we penetrated the outer ring of the TCA at 9000 ft MSL in a location where the floor of the TCA was actually 8000 ft MSL at about PM15 mdt. I feel my lack of sleep during the previous night, combined with a long flying day and fatigue from flying at higher altitudes without supplemental oyxgen, lured me into a complacent attitude when I had my home airport in sight. I didn't verify my position in relation to the TCA in time to fly under the outer ring of the TCA or call approach control. Next time it's a no-go decision when I'm fatigued and I'll carry supplemental oxygen on all mountain flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: I AWOKE AT XA30 THIS MORNING AFTER ABOUT 5 OR 6 HRS OF SLEEP TO EMBARK ON A MOUNTAIN CHKOUT FLT WITH MY STUDENT. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AT XB30 FOR PREFLT AND A WX BRIEFING. I HAD AGREED TO PICK MY STUDENT UP AT ANOTHER ARPT AT XD00, THEN THE 2 OF US RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL ARPT TO DISCUSS THE PLANNED MOUNTAIN FLT. AT XD25, MY STUDENT AND I TOOK OFF FOR A 5 HR FLT INTO THE MOUNTAINS WITH 5 MOUNTAIN ARPT LNDGS. THE MOUNTAIN PORTION OF THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, HOWEVER, TSTMS IN THE AREA FORCED US TO REMAIN AT 1 ARPT FOR APPROX 4 HRS UNTIL THE WX MOVED TO THE E OF DENVER. MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS DICTATED THAT WE CLB AN EXTRA 1000 FT BEFORE XING THE REMAINING MOUNTAIN PASSES. OUR ALT FOR ABOUT 20 MINS WAS 13500 FT MSL AND WE HAD NO SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. I HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAINING, AND I KNEW ONE OF MY SYMPTOMS OF HYPOXIA IS FATIGUE. BUT, I FELT CONFIDENT THAT THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS WOULD HAVE NO ADVERSE EFFECTS AND WE WERE 'LEGAL' FOR UP TO 30 MINS BTWN 12500 FT MSL AND 14000 FT MSL WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. THERE WAS SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT REMAINING FROM THE WX THAT HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER, AND I CHOSE TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS FURTHER S THAN PLANNED. THE VIOLATION OCCURRED WHEN, AS A RESULT OF BEING FURTHER S AND AT A HIGHER INITIAL ALT DSNDING WITH DENVER, WE PENETRATED THE OUTER RING OF THE TCA AT 9000 FT MSL IN A LOCATION WHERE THE FLOOR OF THE TCA WAS ACTUALLY 8000 FT MSL AT ABOUT PM15 MDT. I FEEL MY LACK OF SLEEP DURING THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, COMBINED WITH A LONG FLYING DAY AND FATIGUE FROM FLYING AT HIGHER ALTS WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OYXGEN, LURED ME INTO A COMPLACENT ATTITUDE WHEN I HAD MY HOME ARPT IN SIGHT. I DIDN'T VERIFY MY POS IN RELATION TO THE TCA IN TIME TO FLY UNDER THE OUTER RING OF THE TCA OR CALL APCH CTL. NEXT TIME IT'S A NO-GO DECISION WHEN I'M FATIGUED AND I'LL CARRY SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ON ALL MOUNTAIN FLTS.

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.