Narrative:

While departing north island NAS, medium large transport entered the san diego TCA at 2800' MSL and continued to climb to 5500' MSL. This was on a VFR departure. An IFR flight plan was filed however, clearance delivery informed pilot to expect a delay, up to one hour, for IFR clearance. The reason for this delay was with san diego approach control. The pilot, myself, elected to depart VFR in order to meet a time window for an operation in airspace W-291. On departure, the pilot switched radios from north island tower to 'beaver control' neglecting to contact san diego approach control for clearance into TCA. After runway 18 departure, said aircraft turned right to a heading of 270 to proceed direct to 'order' intersection. Approximately 10-15 NM east of order intersection, communication was established with beaver control. At that time, beaver control informed the pilot to contact san diego approach control by phone upon return to north island NAS. At this time, the aircraft was at 4500' MSL. Upon return to north island, the pilot phoned san diego approach control and talked to the manager of the facility. The manager asked if I was a local pilot, and if I knew what I had done wrong. I explained what I had done, and he informed me that no violation would be filed. In this incident, the pilot was complacent. I became too concerned with the military mission and violated a basic far airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Pilot totally forgot TCA airspace. Concentration was on mission and time frame. Feels military pilots consider there are separate 'civilian' and military flying requirements. Feel tower controller could have been helped by handing off to approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL PLT DEPARTED NAS, PENETRATED TCA ENRTE TRNING MISSION.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING N ISLAND NAS, MLG ENTERED THE SAN DIEGO TCA AT 2800' MSL AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 5500' MSL. THIS WAS ON A VFR DEP. AN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED HOWEVER, CLRNC DELIVERY INFORMED PLT TO EXPECT A DELAY, UP TO ONE HR, FOR IFR CLRNC. THE REASON FOR THIS DELAY WAS WITH SAN DIEGO APCH CTL. THE PLT, MYSELF, ELECTED TO DEPART VFR IN ORDER TO MEET A TIME WINDOW FOR AN OPERATION IN AIRSPACE W-291. ON DEP, THE PLT SWITCHED RADIOS FROM N ISLAND TWR TO 'BEAVER CTL' NEGLECTING TO CONTACT SAN DIEGO APCH CTL FOR CLRNC INTO TCA. AFTER RWY 18 DEP, SAID ACFT TURNED R TO A HDG OF 270 TO PROCEED DIRECT TO 'ORDER' INTXN. APPROX 10-15 NM E OF ORDER INTXN, COM WAS ESTABLISHED WITH BEAVER CTL. AT THAT TIME, BEAVER CTL INFORMED THE PLT TO CONTACT SAN DIEGO APCH CTL BY PHONE UPON RETURN TO N ISLAND NAS. AT THIS TIME, THE ACFT WAS AT 4500' MSL. UPON RETURN TO N ISLAND, THE PLT PHONED SAN DIEGO APCH CTL AND TALKED TO THE MGR OF THE FAC. THE MGR ASKED IF I WAS A LCL PLT, AND IF I KNEW WHAT I HAD DONE WRONG. I EXPLAINED WHAT I HAD DONE, AND HE INFORMED ME THAT NO VIOLATION WOULD BE FILED. IN THIS INCIDENT, THE PLT WAS COMPLACENT. I BECAME TOO CONCERNED WITH THE MIL MISSION AND VIOLATED A BASIC FAR AIRSPACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. PLT TOTALLY FORGOT TCA AIRSPACE. CONCENTRATION WAS ON MISSION AND TIME FRAME. FEELS MIL PLTS CONSIDER THERE ARE SEPARATE 'CIVILIAN' AND MIL FLYING REQUIREMENTS. FEEL TWR CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN HELPED BY HANDING OFF TO APCH.

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.