Narrative:

After doing search grid training in vicinity of lake berryessa, my passenger (another pilot) and I decided to land at sac. I was not familiar with the area, so I dialed the sac VOR and was 28 DME (give or take) out on the 280 degree radial. The sectional I have (obsolete sep/tue/03) shows contact sierra approach (now norcal), which I did. Norcal told me I was in 'travis airspace,' which caused me to think I violated A-682 or something I couldn't figure out. With norcal's instruction, I contacted travis approach, was on their frequency for a few mins, (very garbled controller), then handed back to norcal approach. Norcal approach kept me on frequency for a very long time -- until I was uncomfortably close to sac. I'm not sure if norcal approach told me to enter a right downwind to runway 20. I didn't, and by the time norcal handed me off to sac tower, I was so close I called in a left base to runway 20 (actually, it was runway 2 and tower advised me). I crossed the departure path of runway 20 and entered left downwind. The landing and return to sts were uneventful. Conclusion: 1) norcal approach telling me I was in 'travis airspace' caused confusion and worry that continued until on left downwind. I should have circled and talked to norcal to clear up the confusion, or called them on the ground. 2) if norcal told me to enter right downwind, I probably acknowledged it, but my mind was worried about airspace violation -- no excuse. Norcal saw my flight path and should have queried me. Still no excuse. 3) if travis has airspace outside their class D and A-682, the sectional should say so. Even in A-682 on the sectional, it says ctc sierra.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LNDG SAC IS CONFUSED WITH SUU AIRSPACE AND NCT'S SVC AND ENTERS WRONG TFC PATTERN AT SAC.

Narrative: AFTER DOING SEARCH GRID TRAINING IN VICINITY OF LAKE BERRYESSA, MY PAX (ANOTHER PLT) AND I DECIDED TO LAND AT SAC. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, SO I DIALED THE SAC VOR AND WAS 28 DME (GIVE OR TAKE) OUT ON THE 280 DEG RADIAL. THE SECTIONAL I HAVE (OBSOLETE SEP/TUE/03) SHOWS CONTACT SIERRA APCH (NOW NORCAL), WHICH I DID. NORCAL TOLD ME I WAS IN 'TRAVIS AIRSPACE,' WHICH CAUSED ME TO THINK I VIOLATED A-682 OR SOMETHING I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT. WITH NORCAL'S INSTRUCTION, I CONTACTED TRAVIS APCH, WAS ON THEIR FREQ FOR A FEW MINS, (VERY GARBLED CTLR), THEN HANDED BACK TO NORCAL APCH. NORCAL APCH KEPT ME ON FREQ FOR A VERY LONG TIME -- UNTIL I WAS UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO SAC. I'M NOT SURE IF NORCAL APCH TOLD ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 20. I DIDN'T, AND BY THE TIME NORCAL HANDED ME OFF TO SAC TWR, I WAS SO CLOSE I CALLED IN A L BASE TO RWY 20 (ACTUALLY, IT WAS RWY 2 AND TWR ADVISED ME). I CROSSED THE DEP PATH OF RWY 20 AND ENTERED L DOWNWIND. THE LNDG AND RETURN TO STS WERE UNEVENTFUL. CONCLUSION: 1) NORCAL APCH TELLING ME I WAS IN 'TRAVIS AIRSPACE' CAUSED CONFUSION AND WORRY THAT CONTINUED UNTIL ON L DOWNWIND. I SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED AND TALKED TO NORCAL TO CLR UP THE CONFUSION, OR CALLED THEM ON THE GND. 2) IF NORCAL TOLD ME TO ENTER R DOWNWIND, I PROBABLY ACKNOWLEDGED IT, BUT MY MIND WAS WORRIED ABOUT AIRSPACE VIOLATION -- NO EXCUSE. NORCAL SAW MY FLT PATH AND SHOULD HAVE QUERIED ME. STILL NO EXCUSE. 3) IF TRAVIS HAS AIRSPACE OUTSIDE THEIR CLASS D AND A-682, THE SECTIONAL SHOULD SAY SO. EVEN IN A-682 ON THE SECTIONAL, IT SAYS CTC SIERRA.

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.