Small aircraft pilot navigating to avoid TCA heard controllers tracking TCA violator.

Attributes
ACN	81475
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2900 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sfo
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 2112 flight time type : 2090
ASRS Report	81475
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Pilot left smith ranch for flight to san luis obispo. Pilot has very structured route to avoid TCA boundaries. Heard ATC was seeking a TCA violator in area of his flight. Follow up letter indicates malfunctioning mode C which may have given erroneous altitude. Is very sure he did not violate the airspace. Flies under and around TCA because of reports of controller 'overwork'. Would have called in if he felt he could have received monitoring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT NAVIGATING TO AVOID TCA HEARD CTLRS TRACKING TCA VIOLATOR.

Narrative: PLT LEFT SMITH RANCH FOR FLT TO SAN LUIS OBISPO. PLT HAS VERY STRUCTURED RTE TO AVOID TCA BOUNDARIES. HEARD ATC WAS SEEKING A TCA VIOLATOR IN AREA OF HIS FLT. FOLLOW UP LETTER INDICATES MALFUNCTIONING MODE C WHICH MAY HAVE GIVEN ERRONEOUS ALT. IS VERY SURE HE DID NOT VIOLATE THE AIRSPACE. FLIES UNDER AND AROUND TCA BECAUSE OF RPTS OF CTLR 'OVERWORK'. WOULD HAVE CALLED IN IF HE FELT HE COULD HAVE RECEIVED MONITORING.

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.