Narrative:

On 1/88 I was asked to accompany a private pilot in an small aircraft. He stated that he had not flown his small aircraft recently and wanted someone with current time to go with him. He was obviously familiar with his aircraft and with lakefront airport and I did not feel that this was an instructional flight. We departed new orleans lakefront airport to the west. The aircraft owner operated the controls and the radio before and after departure. No instruction or comments were given or asked for. I feel I was on the flight to give assistance if requested. Since we were taking off to the west I thought of the TCA, but did not feel at the time it was necessary to say anything to the pilot because of his familiarity with the area and the fact that he was in control of the flight. In my mind, he was PIC. We flew to hammond airport to the north for some touch and go's. When we returned it looked as if we would enter the TCA. I told him this and he acknowledged, and descended a few hundred ft below the floor. Some time later the FAA called and stated that we had entered the TCA. Although I did not consider myself PIC at any time during the fl, I feel now that I should have told him that he should avoid the TCA after takeoff. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: TCA penetration occurred on departure as PIC turned northeast to avoid TCA, but continued climb above 2000'. Reporter, an instrument, has learned about personal responsibility even when not PIC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ATTEMPTING TO AVOID TCA CLIMBED ABOVE FLOOR AND PENETRATED MSY TCA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON 1/88 I WAS ASKED TO ACCOMPANY A PVT PLT IN AN SMA. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NOT FLOWN HIS SMA RECENTLY AND WANTED SOMEONE WITH CURRENT TIME TO GO WITH HIM. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY FAMILIAR WITH HIS ACFT AND WITH LAKEFRONT ARPT AND I DID NOT FEEL THAT THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. WE DEPARTED NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT ARPT TO THE W. THE ACFT OWNER OPERATED THE CTLS AND THE RADIO BEFORE AND AFTER DEP. NO INSTRUCTION OR COMMENTS WERE GIVEN OR ASKED FOR. I FEEL I WAS ON THE FLT TO GIVE ASSISTANCE IF REQUESTED. SINCE WE WERE TAKING OFF TO THE W I THOUGHT OF THE TCA, BUT DID NOT FEEL AT THE TIME IT WAS NECESSARY TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE PLT BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS IN CTL OF THE FLT. IN MY MIND, HE WAS PIC. WE FLEW TO HAMMOND ARPT TO THE N FOR SOME TOUCH AND GO'S. WHEN WE RETURNED IT LOOKED AS IF WE WOULD ENTER THE TCA. I TOLD HIM THIS AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED, AND DSNDED A FEW HUNDRED FT BELOW THE FLOOR. SOME TIME LATER THE FAA CALLED AND STATED THAT WE HAD ENTERED THE TCA. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT CONSIDER MYSELF PIC AT ANY TIME DURING THE FL, I FEEL NOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM THAT HE SHOULD AVOID THE TCA AFTER TKOF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: TCA PENETRATION OCCURRED ON DEP AS PIC TURNED NE TO AVOID TCA, BUT CONTINUED CLB ABOVE 2000'. RPTR, AN INSTR, HAS LEARNED ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY EVEN WHEN NOT PIC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.