Small aircraft pilot entered the 30 mi ring of the pit TCA without an altitude encoder.

Attributes
ACN	449440
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 617 flight time type : 575
ASRS Report	449440
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise flight, using pilotage and without an altitude encoding transponder, I penetrated the 30 NM veil of the pit TCA from the southeast an estimated 6 NM. I realized my error because the ground features were unrecognizable and immediately turned southward to depart the area. I do not believe I went under or into the TCA itself. If I am mistaken and went under the outer portion of the TCA, I still would not have entered the TCA because the floor of the TCA in that area is 4000 ft and my altitude was 3000 ft. The latter is an explanation of what happened, not a diminishing of the significance of my error. I am well aware I am not to enter the veil without an altitude encoding transponder. I can only attribute the error to my failure to navigation properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERED THE 30 MI RING OF THE PIT TCA WITHOUT AN ALT ENCODER.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT, USING PILOTAGE AND WITHOUT AN ALT ENCODING XPONDER, I PENETRATED THE 30 NM VEIL OF THE PIT TCA FROM THE SE AN ESTIMATED 6 NM. I REALIZED MY ERROR BECAUSE THE GND FEATURES WERE UNRECOGNIZABLE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED SOUTHWARD TO DEPART THE AREA. I DO NOT BELIEVE I WENT UNDER OR INTO THE TCA ITSELF. IF I AM MISTAKEN AND WENT UNDER THE OUTER PORTION OF THE TCA, I STILL WOULD NOT HAVE ENTERED THE TCA BECAUSE THE FLOOR OF THE TCA IN THAT AREA IS 4000 FT AND MY ALT WAS 3000 FT. THE LATTER IS AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENED, NOT A DIMINISHING OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MY ERROR. I AM WELL AWARE I AM NOT TO ENTER THE VEIL WITHOUT AN ALT ENCODING XPONDER. I CAN ONLY ATTRIBUTE THE ERROR TO MY FAILURE TO NAV PROPERLY.

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.