Narrative:

I was flying an antique aircraft, an small aircraft (no radios or transponder) with no electrical system. A magnetic compass for headings, not a gyroscopic compass. I had a handheld radio for communications. Visibility was unlimited. Clearance delivery asked for direction of flight and altitude requested. I answered east at 3500 ft. It appears on the sectional that 3500 ft would clear the hills until I was clear of the 5 mi air traffic area. I wanted to cancel at that point and fly the roads and rivers easterly. I should have asked for 5500 ft but I was tired from flying 6 hours already that day from nashville. I had been cleared for takeoff and did. I contacted departure and he asked had I been cleared for takeoff. I answered yes. He asked me again was I cleared for takeoff and again I told him I had been cleared for takeoff. I was still over the runway climbing out and answering his questions. He asked my intentions and then cleared me on course. I had departed on runway 34 and should have turned right to an easterly course. I turned left around 250 degrees to east to look for traffic and my landmarks. I was flying at 3500 ft and 090 degrees. The controller kept asking me my heading and altitude. I became concerned that maybe the altimeter or compass was off due to the frequency of his calls. He never requested a heading or course change, or altitude change. I was getting intimidated by the controller and second- guessing the few instruments in my VFR small aircraft. I should have asked at this point ( 3 1/2 mi east of the airport) for 5500 ft, instead, I just pulled up to clear the mountain in front of me. ATC called and I told them I was out of 4000 ft to clear the obstacle in front of me. He said 'roger' and nothing else was said. I requested a frequency change approximately 7 mi east of the airport and ATC asked if I was sure I wanted to terminate in the TRSA. I was within my rights to do so. I was well below the floor of the TRSA. I agreed to monitor the frequency until radar contact was lost 9 mi east.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ANTIQUE SMA FLEW LOW OUT OF A TRSA TOWARDS HIGH TERRAIN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN ANTIQUE ACFT, AN SMA (NO RADIOS OR XPONDER) WITH NO ELECTRICAL SYS. A MAGNETIC COMPASS FOR HDGS, NOT A GYROSCOPIC COMPASS. I HAD A HANDHELD RADIO FOR COMS. VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. CLRNC DELIVERY ASKED FOR DIRECTION OF FLT AND ALT REQUESTED. I ANSWERED E AT 3500 FT. IT APPEARS ON THE SECTIONAL THAT 3500 FT WOULD CLR THE HILLS UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THE 5 MI ATA. I WANTED TO CANCEL AT THAT POINT AND FLY THE ROADS AND RIVERS EASTERLY. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR 5500 FT BUT I WAS TIRED FROM FLYING 6 HRS ALREADY THAT DAY FROM NASHVILLE. I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND DID. I CONTACTED DEP AND HE ASKED HAD I BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. I ANSWERED YES. HE ASKED ME AGAIN WAS I CLRED FOR TKOF AND AGAIN I TOLD HIM I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. I WAS STILL OVER THE RWY CLBING OUT AND ANSWERING HIS QUESTIONS. HE ASKED MY INTENTIONS AND THEN CLRED ME ON COURSE. I HAD DEPARTED ON RWY 34 AND SHOULD HAVE TURNED R TO AN EASTERLY COURSE. I TURNED L AROUND 250 DEGS TO E TO LOOK FOR TFC AND MY LANDMARKS. I WAS FLYING AT 3500 FT AND 090 DEGS. THE CTLR KEPT ASKING ME MY HDG AND ALT. I BECAME CONCERNED THAT MAYBE THE ALTIMETER OR COMPASS WAS OFF DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF HIS CALLS. HE NEVER REQUESTED A HDG OR COURSE CHANGE, OR ALT CHANGE. I WAS GETTING INTIMIDATED BY THE CTLR AND SECOND- GUESSING THE FEW INSTS IN MY VFR SMA. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED AT THIS POINT ( 3 1/2 MI E OF THE ARPT) FOR 5500 FT, INSTEAD, I JUST PULLED UP TO CLR THE MOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF ME. ATC CALLED AND I TOLD THEM I WAS OUT OF 4000 FT TO CLR THE OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF ME. HE SAID 'ROGER' AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. I REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE APPROX 7 MI E OF THE ARPT AND ATC ASKED IF I WAS SURE I WANTED TO TERMINATE IN THE TRSA. I WAS WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO DO SO. I WAS WELL BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TRSA. I AGREED TO MONITOR THE FREQ UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST 9 MI E.

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.