Narrative:

On 1/xx/90, I was flying my small aircraft from harrisburg international airport, where I work as a commuter pilot, to my home base, 2w5. I was cruising at 3500' MSL VFR with approximately 10 mi visibility with some haze. It was around xx pm when I called dca approach. I listened to the frequency for a few mins and found the controller rather busy, but not exceedingly so. When he handed off 3 or 4 flts, I called him and reported 25 mi north of dca, requesting transition through the TCA at 3500' for maryland airport, as I usually do. I generally make this flight twice a week. He replied 'standby.' after 3-4 mins he called me back and gave me a squawk. I repeated the squawk and said, 'if you're busy, I can just go around.' he said 'stand by.' after a few more mins elapsed and he did not come back to me, I turned right to a northwest heading as I knew I was getting into the TCA. As soon as I rolled out of the turn, he said small aircraft 'dca approach, radar contact, say your altitude.' I responded, '3500.' he then curtly informed me, 'be advised you are in the dca TCA,' and then cleared me on course after asking if I could maintain VFR at 3500'. In summary of this situation, I would like to add that I realize I made the decision to turn a little late. I know that it is my responsibility to remain clear until hearing the words, 'cleared into the TCA.' I do strongly feel, however, that I was led down the primrose path by this controller, particularly when I even offered to go around the TCA during my first transmission (after the initial call). He could have just said to remain clear, 'I'm busy,' or something to that effect, but he gave me a squawk and told me to stand by. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot felt controller technique attitude uncalled for. Seemed as though controller bringing him on into TCA, then on patience when determined inside.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ATTEMPTING CLRNC THROUGH TCA TWICE TOLD TO STAND BY. TURNED TO AVOID ENTERING, TOLD HE WAS WITHIN TCA.

Narrative: ON 1/XX/90, I WAS FLYING MY SMA FROM HARRISBURG INTL ARPT, WHERE I WORK AS A COMMUTER PLT, TO MY HOME BASE, 2W5. I WAS CRUISING AT 3500' MSL VFR WITH APPROX 10 MI VISIBILITY WITH SOME HAZE. IT WAS AROUND XX PM WHEN I CALLED DCA APCH. I LISTENED TO THE FREQ FOR A FEW MINS AND FOUND THE CTLR RATHER BUSY, BUT NOT EXCEEDINGLY SO. WHEN HE HANDED OFF 3 OR 4 FLTS, I CALLED HIM AND RPTED 25 MI N OF DCA, REQUESTING TRANSITION THROUGH THE TCA AT 3500' FOR MARYLAND ARPT, AS I USUALLY DO. I GENERALLY MAKE THIS FLT TWICE A WK. HE REPLIED 'STANDBY.' AFTER 3-4 MINS HE CALLED ME BACK AND GAVE ME A SQUAWK. I REPEATED THE SQUAWK AND SAID, 'IF YOU'RE BUSY, I CAN JUST GO AROUND.' HE SAID 'STAND BY.' AFTER A FEW MORE MINS ELAPSED AND HE DID NOT COME BACK TO ME, I TURNED RIGHT TO A NW HDG AS I KNEW I WAS GETTING INTO THE TCA. AS SOON AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN, HE SAID SMA 'DCA APCH, RADAR CONTACT, SAY YOUR ALT.' I RESPONDED, '3500.' HE THEN CURTLY INFORMED ME, 'BE ADVISED YOU ARE IN THE DCA TCA,' AND THEN CLRED ME ON COURSE AFTER ASKING IF I COULD MAINTAIN VFR AT 3500'. IN SUMMARY OF THIS SITUATION, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I REALIZE I MADE THE DECISION TO TURN A LITTLE LATE. I KNOW THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REMAIN CLR UNTIL HEARING THE WORDS, 'CLRED INTO THE TCA.' I DO STRONGLY FEEL, HOWEVER, THAT I WAS LED DOWN THE PRIMROSE PATH BY THIS CTLR, PARTICULARLY WHEN I EVEN OFFERED TO GO AROUND THE TCA DURING MY FIRST XMISSION (AFTER THE INITIAL CALL). HE COULD HAVE JUST SAID TO REMAIN CLR, 'I'M BUSY,' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, BUT HE GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND TOLD ME TO STAND BY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT FELT CTLR TECHNIQUE ATTITUDE UNCALLED FOR. SEEMED AS THOUGH CTLR BRINGING HIM ON INTO TCA, THEN ON PATIENCE WHEN DETERMINED INSIDE.

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.