Erroneous penetration of class C airspace. Low fuel poor planning.

Attributes
ACN	316646
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	316646
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Returning from sac area, heard flight watch say WX in la basin was deteriorating. I had loaded 3 hours fuel for a 2 1/2 hour flight. To be safe I filed an IFR with rancho radio and was directed to get clearance from bakersfield. The latter wouldn't handle me and told me to get clearance from ZLA. Near gorman VOR, my fuel was showing 1/8 tank which is 1/2 hour flying. I was uncomfortable. I wanted to remain at 9500 ft (on top), but center gave me 10000 ft and a different route, lake hughes V285 darts. I had confusion with this as I didn't know that area and was single pilot. We got it resolved and I turned to pick up the route. About 10 mins south of the VOR (and now at 6000 ft), ATC says they want to route me to santa monica. I tell them I'm low on fuel (now at almost empty) and don't want to go back around the TCA (as I would have gone if I'd come in VFR). I later saw this was not such a distance, but was now concerned about the empty fuel reading. Rather than go to smo, I canceled and descended rapidly to go under the TCA at 1800 ft. ATC said ok and I didn't check, so I then descended through the burbank class C. I flew the la river at 1500 ft and headed over to my destination (compton). There was little light now. Clouds were scattered to broken (thin) at 1000 ft. I missed the field and was really getting rattled. After a few circles (now on empty for 10 mins) I oriented myself with the VOR/CDI and landed safely. Drained fuel the next day and really had another 20 mins of fuel. The 'empty' reading on the gauge got to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. LOW FUEL POOR PLANNING.

Narrative: RETURNING FROM SAC AREA, HEARD FLT WATCH SAY WX IN LA BASIN WAS DETERIORATING. I HAD LOADED 3 HRS FUEL FOR A 2 1/2 HR FLT. TO BE SAFE I FILED AN IFR WITH RANCHO RADIO AND WAS DIRECTED TO GET CLRNC FROM BAKERSFIELD. THE LATTER WOULDN'T HANDLE ME AND TOLD ME TO GET CLRNC FROM ZLA. NEAR GORMAN VOR, MY FUEL WAS SHOWING 1/8 TANK WHICH IS 1/2 HR FLYING. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. I WANTED TO REMAIN AT 9500 FT (ON TOP), BUT CTR GAVE ME 10000 FT AND A DIFFERENT RTE, LAKE HUGHES V285 DARTS. I HAD CONFUSION WITH THIS AS I DIDN'T KNOW THAT AREA AND WAS SINGLE PLT. WE GOT IT RESOLVED AND I TURNED TO PICK UP THE RTE. ABOUT 10 MINS S OF THE VOR (AND NOW AT 6000 FT), ATC SAYS THEY WANT TO RTE ME TO SANTA MONICA. I TELL THEM I'M LOW ON FUEL (NOW AT ALMOST EMPTY) AND DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AROUND THE TCA (AS I WOULD HAVE GONE IF I'D COME IN VFR). I LATER SAW THIS WAS NOT SUCH A DISTANCE, BUT WAS NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMPTY FUEL READING. RATHER THAN GO TO SMO, I CANCELED AND DSNDED RAPIDLY TO GO UNDER THE TCA AT 1800 FT. ATC SAID OK AND I DIDN'T CHK, SO I THEN DSNDED THROUGH THE BURBANK CLASS C. I FLEW THE LA RIVER AT 1500 FT AND HEADED OVER TO MY DEST (COMPTON). THERE WAS LITTLE LIGHT NOW. CLOUDS WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN (THIN) AT 1000 FT. I MISSED THE FIELD AND WAS REALLY GETTING RATTLED. AFTER A FEW CIRCLES (NOW ON EMPTY FOR 10 MINS) I ORIENTED MYSELF WITH THE VOR/CDI AND LANDED SAFELY. DRAINED FUEL THE NEXT DAY AND REALLY HAD ANOTHER 20 MINS OF FUEL. THE 'EMPTY' READING ON THE GAUGE GOT TO ME.

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.