Narrative:

I was returning with a student from the lgb practice area, which for lgb is just offshore, extending out from the long beach harbor and breakwater. We had made our initial call to lgb tower over the queen mary, which is a reporting point. Lgb was operating with south traffic, using runway 16R and runway 12 due to southerly winds. Out of habit, we called on 119.4, the usual frequency for runway 25L and runway 30. The local controller acknowledged our call, and advised us to contact tower on 120.5 for runway 16R. After switching to this frequency, we found it to be very busy. But since we had initially made contact on 119.4, I wasn't too concerned. After maybe 15-30 seconds, being unable to check in, I had the student start a left turn back out of the area as we had not made contact yet on 120.5. Once in the turn, I got a chance to call the tower. I got a reply and was immediately informed of traffic above me, a piper seneca (I think) which was apparently a few hundred ft above us. My student and I did not see the traffic, and immediately began searching, and rocking the wings to check blind spots. I also reduced power and made a quick descent down to about 1000 ft to get out of the way. Following FARS. We saw the traffic, which was now not a factor. The tower then told us where to report in the traffic pattern. She clearly sounded irritated. I understood and appreciated her concern. I was also trying to do things properly. After finishing our lesson, and taxiing clear of the active, she took a min to explain, that we had actually contacted her 1.5 NM inside the class D airspace, and to please be aware of where it begins, and when the tower is using south traffic, please call them on the appropriate frequency (122.5). I acknowledged all of this, and thanked her for the information. After finishing with my student, I called the tower to speak with the controller. She was not available. I explained the situation briefly, and apologized, and thanked them. The controller I spoke with promised to pass on my message. I had thought that when I initially made contact with one local controller, that I was then ok to enter class D airspace. Possibly this time it was due to a high controller workload, and she did not appreciate my late call. I did not anticipate things going as they did, another important lesson learned. I made this point with my student. I have to say that it is difficult at times, trying to juggle teaching and other duties in busy airspace. It remains a challenge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT ENTERS THE LGB CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AFTER AN INITIAL CALL TO THE WRONG LCL CTLR ON AN INCORRECT FREQ.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING WITH A STUDENT FROM THE LGB PRACTICE AREA, WHICH FOR LGB IS JUST OFFSHORE, EXTENDING OUT FROM THE LONG BEACH HARBOR AND BREAKWATER. WE HAD MADE OUR INITIAL CALL TO LGB TWR OVER THE QUEEN MARY, WHICH IS A RPTING POINT. LGB WAS OPERATING WITH S TFC, USING RWY 16R AND RWY 12 DUE TO SOUTHERLY WINDS. OUT OF HABIT, WE CALLED ON 119.4, THE USUAL FREQ FOR RWY 25L AND RWY 30. THE LCL CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL, AND ADVISED US TO CONTACT TWR ON 120.5 FOR RWY 16R. AFTER SWITCHING TO THIS FREQ, WE FOUND IT TO BE VERY BUSY. BUT SINCE WE HAD INITIALLY MADE CONTACT ON 119.4, I WASN'T TOO CONCERNED. AFTER MAYBE 15-30 SECONDS, BEING UNABLE TO CHK IN, I HAD THE STUDENT START A L TURN BACK OUT OF THE AREA AS WE HAD NOT MADE CONTACT YET ON 120.5. ONCE IN THE TURN, I GOT A CHANCE TO CALL THE TWR. I GOT A REPLY AND WAS IMMEDIATELY INFORMED OF TFC ABOVE ME, A PIPER SENECA (I THINK) WHICH WAS APPARENTLY A FEW HUNDRED FT ABOVE US. MY STUDENT AND I DID NOT SEE THE TFC, AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SEARCHING, AND ROCKING THE WINGS TO CHK BLIND SPOTS. I ALSO REDUCED PWR AND MADE A QUICK DSCNT DOWN TO ABOUT 1000 FT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. FOLLOWING FARS. WE SAW THE TFC, WHICH WAS NOW NOT A FACTOR. THE TWR THEN TOLD US WHERE TO RPT IN THE TFC PATTERN. SHE CLRLY SOUNDED IRRITATED. I UNDERSTOOD AND APPRECIATED HER CONCERN. I WAS ALSO TRYING TO DO THINGS PROPERLY. AFTER FINISHING OUR LESSON, AND TAXIING CLR OF THE ACTIVE, SHE TOOK A MIN TO EXPLAIN, THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY CONTACTED HER 1.5 NM INSIDE THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND TO PLEASE BE AWARE OF WHERE IT BEGINS, AND WHEN THE TWR IS USING S TFC, PLEASE CALL THEM ON THE APPROPRIATE FREQ (122.5). I ACKNOWLEDGED ALL OF THIS, AND THANKED HER FOR THE INFO. AFTER FINISHING WITH MY STUDENT, I CALLED THE TWR TO SPEAK WITH THE CTLR. SHE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I EXPLAINED THE SIT BRIEFLY, AND APOLOGIZED, AND THANKED THEM. THE CTLR I SPOKE WITH PROMISED TO PASS ON MY MESSAGE. I HAD THOUGHT THAT WHEN I INITIALLY MADE CONTACT WITH ONE LCL CTLR, THAT I WAS THEN OK TO ENTER CLASS D AIRSPACE. POSSIBLY THIS TIME IT WAS DUE TO A HIGH CTLR WORKLOAD, AND SHE DID NOT APPRECIATE MY LATE CALL. I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THINGS GOING AS THEY DID, ANOTHER IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED. I MADE THIS POINT WITH MY STUDENT. I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT IS DIFFICULT AT TIMES, TRYING TO JUGGLE TEACHING AND OTHER DUTIES IN BUSY AIRSPACE. IT REMAINS A CHALLENGE.

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.