Narrative:

I departed psp for a return flight to toa. WX at palm springs was VFR with 20000 thin broken. Activated mode C transponder. Departed heading 280 degree climbing to 8500' per psp departure. Cleared tops of ovc at 5500' nr banning. After psp departure terminated radar service and approximately 5 NM west of banning, I contacted hawthorne flight watch for current la basin and toa WX . Hawthorne advised VFR not recommended. Basin broken to ovc with some holes; tops to 6500'; toa VFR at 1600' broken/4000 broken. From my position I observed tops not higher than 5500' across the basin with numerous holes; visibility on top of 50 plus mi. Gave PIREP. I set a course for toa: banning to pdz VOR at 258 degree; pdz to sli VOR at 238 degree (V8-21); continue to shoreline before turning west to toa. Using the 15TH edition of the la TCA chart and the 41ST edition of the la sectional for navigation, I determined to remain at 8500' overflying the 7000' ceiling of the TCA listed on the charts at sli. Because of the extremely clear conditions on top, I did not contact coast approach control for VFR flight following across the basin, as is my usual practice on busy or hazy days. I was aware that the ovc ended near the shoreline. While it was normally my practice to descend below the TCA at 4500' along this route, the conditions on this day caused me to select the higher altitude. Referring to the charts in flight, I forgot completely about the recent new TCA ceilings of 12500', neither my FBO nor sporty's pilot shop (from which I receive my charts by subscription) had any updated charts available. Approaching the TCA near sli (I estimate garden grove), I observed 2 airliners approximately 7-8 NM southeast plus 2000 below my position. One I determined immediately to be no factor. The other appeared heading e-w across my path and descending, as though on approach to lgb. When this plane turned toward my position I immediately initiated a right 360 degree turn for avoidance, even though I estimated vertical clearance of 20000' and horizontal departure of 4-5 mi. While still in my turn I observed that the airliner had altered his course well to the northwest and would pass clear of my position. I completed my turn and rolled out on a heading for the shoreline, beginning VFR descent below 8500', with my needle for the 238 degree right at sli deflected to the right. I intersected the shoreline with meadowlark airport off my right wing. I did not discover that I might have violated the TCA until, on landing at toa, I was asked by ground control to contact la TRACON.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT USING CHART NOT INDICATING TCA CEILING CHANGE PENETRATED TCA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PSP FOR A RETURN FLT TO TOA. WX AT PALM SPRINGS WAS VFR WITH 20000 THIN BKN. ACTIVATED MODE C XPONDER. DEPARTED HDG 280 DEG CLBING TO 8500' PER PSP DEP. CLRED TOPS OF OVC AT 5500' NR BANNING. AFTER PSP DEP TERMINATED RADAR SVC AND APPROX 5 NM W OF BANNING, I CONTACTED HAWTHORNE FLT WATCH FOR CURRENT LA BASIN AND TOA WX . HAWTHORNE ADVISED VFR NOT RECOMMENDED. BASIN BKN TO OVC WITH SOME HOLES; TOPS TO 6500'; TOA VFR AT 1600' BKN/4000 BKN. FROM MY POS I OBSERVED TOPS NOT HIGHER THAN 5500' ACROSS THE BASIN WITH NUMEROUS HOLES; VISIBILITY ON TOP OF 50 PLUS MI. GAVE PIREP. I SET A COURSE FOR TOA: BANNING TO PDZ VOR AT 258 DEG; PDZ TO SLI VOR AT 238 DEG (V8-21); CONTINUE TO SHORELINE BEFORE TURNING W TO TOA. USING THE 15TH EDITION OF THE LA TCA CHART AND THE 41ST EDITION OF THE LA SECTIONAL FOR NAV, I DETERMINED TO REMAIN AT 8500' OVERFLYING THE 7000' CEILING OF THE TCA LISTED ON THE CHARTS AT SLI. BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY CLR CONDITIONS ON TOP, I DID NOT CONTACT COAST APCH CTL FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING ACROSS THE BASIN, AS IS MY USUAL PRACTICE ON BUSY OR HAZY DAYS. I WAS AWARE THAT THE OVC ENDED NEAR THE SHORELINE. WHILE IT WAS NORMALLY MY PRACTICE TO DSND BELOW THE TCA AT 4500' ALONG THIS RTE, THE CONDITIONS ON THIS DAY CAUSED ME TO SELECT THE HIGHER ALT. REFERRING TO THE CHARTS IN FLT, I FORGOT COMPLETELY ABOUT THE RECENT NEW TCA CEILINGS OF 12500', NEITHER MY FBO NOR SPORTY'S PLT SHOP (FROM WHICH I RECEIVE MY CHARTS BY SUBSCRIPTION) HAD ANY UPDATED CHARTS AVAILABLE. APCHING THE TCA NEAR SLI (I ESTIMATE GARDEN GROVE), I OBSERVED 2 AIRLINERS APPROX 7-8 NM SE PLUS 2000 BELOW MY POS. ONE I DETERMINED IMMEDIATELY TO BE NO FACTOR. THE OTHER APPEARED HDG E-W ACROSS MY PATH AND DSNDING, AS THOUGH ON APCH TO LGB. WHEN THIS PLANE TURNED TOWARD MY POS I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A R 360 DEG TURN FOR AVOIDANCE, EVEN THOUGH I ESTIMATED VERT CLRNC OF 20000' AND HORIZ DEP OF 4-5 MI. WHILE STILL IN MY TURN I OBSERVED THAT THE AIRLINER HAD ALTERED HIS COURSE WELL TO THE NW AND WOULD PASS CLR OF MY POS. I COMPLETED MY TURN AND ROLLED OUT ON A HDG FOR THE SHORELINE, BEGINNING VFR DSCNT BELOW 8500', WITH MY NEEDLE FOR THE 238 DEG R AT SLI DEFLECTED TO THE R. I INTERSECTED THE SHORELINE WITH MEADOWLARK ARPT OFF MY R WING. I DID NOT DISCOVER THAT I MIGHT HAVE VIOLATED THE TCA UNTIL, ON LNDG AT TOA, I WAS ASKED BY GND CTL TO CONTACT LA TRACON.

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.