Small aircraft penetrates class D while following tower instructions.

Attributes
ACN	268947
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cma
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cma tower : sea
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	268947
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After being instructed to contact cma tower by mugu approach, I called the tower from position a, directly off the approach end of 26 and approximately 8 NM out. Cma ATIS reported landing 26. Tower directed me to report 2 mi south for left traffic 26 -- a position less than 4 NM from ntd. On reporting at B I was told to 'continue wbound.' the controller then became occupied with other traffic, including releases, and the frequency was too congested for another call until C, which I estimated to be only 2-3 NM from oxr. (Half way from cma). Then on talking to the tower I turned inbound and landed normally. I felt that the position I was in was potentially unsafe since: the limited distance from ntd allows little room for a course reversal and safe pattern entry south of cma. The extension wbound placed me too close to the approach end of oxr without tower contact. If you are extended wbound when you are south of cma, you are flying into a box with only 3 choices: turn back without authority/authorized into departing traffic, continue into the oxr air traffic area, turn south into the ntd air traffic area. Had I been unable to turn when I did, in contact with the tower, I had planned to call oxr rather than turn back. I suggest that traffic arriving from the east be directed to right traffic 26 (north).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PENETRATES CLASS D WHILE FOLLOWING TWR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT CMA TWR BY MUGU APCH, I CALLED THE TWR FROM POS A, DIRECTLY OFF THE APCH END OF 26 AND APPROX 8 NM OUT. CMA ATIS RPTED LNDG 26. TWR DIRECTED ME TO RPT 2 MI S FOR L TFC 26 -- A POS LESS THAN 4 NM FROM NTD. ON RPTING AT B I WAS TOLD TO 'CONTINUE WBOUND.' THE CTLR THEN BECAME OCCUPIED WITH OTHER TFC, INCLUDING RELEASES, AND THE FREQ WAS TOO CONGESTED FOR ANOTHER CALL UNTIL C, WHICH I ESTIMATED TO BE ONLY 2-3 NM FROM OXR. (HALF WAY FROM CMA). THEN ON TALKING TO THE TWR I TURNED INBOUND AND LANDED NORMALLY. I FELT THAT THE POS I WAS IN WAS POTENTIALLY UNSAFE SINCE: THE LIMITED DISTANCE FROM NTD ALLOWS LITTLE ROOM FOR A COURSE REVERSAL AND SAFE PATTERN ENTRY S OF CMA. THE EXTENSION WBOUND PLACED ME TOO CLOSE TO THE APCH END OF OXR WITHOUT TWR CONTACT. IF YOU ARE EXTENDED WBOUND WHEN YOU ARE S OF CMA, YOU ARE FLYING INTO A BOX WITH ONLY 3 CHOICES: TURN BACK WITHOUT AUTH INTO DEPARTING TFC, CONTINUE INTO THE OXR ATA, TURN S INTO THE NTD ATA. HAD I BEEN UNABLE TO TURN WHEN I DID, IN CONTACT WITH THE TWR, I HAD PLANNED TO CALL OXR RATHER THAN TURN BACK. I SUGGEST THAT TFC ARRIVING FROM THE E BE DIRECTED TO R TFC 26 (N).

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.