Narrative:

Winds at the time of departure from ont were 040 degrees at 25 KTS, gusting to 35 KTS (santa ana condition). I was experiencing moderate to severe turbulence on climb out, as well as strong up/down drafts and wind shear of +25 KTS/-15 KTS. Other aircraft on frequency were reporting the same, including an large transport 5-7 NM south of cable airport, while climb out of 7000' MSL. Knowing cable was near the mountains' bases, I steered slightly farther left of my west heading in an effort to remain clear of the worst turbulence. An error on my part was forgetting the northeast winds would cause me to drift to the southwest, anyway. As radar service with ont departure was terminated, a center frequency was suggested, but precautionary statement was issued with regard to my proximity to the la TCA. (I realize this is not required of ATC.) upon contacting ZLA (128.20) and identing on a new transponder code, I was advised of my position inside the TCA and was given a right turn of 30 degrees to clear the airspace. This incident, I feel, rests completely within the realm of my responsibility. Out of habit from departing ont on clear, smooth mornings VFR and proceeding northwest toward mt wilson and then on to lake hughes. I neglected to properly identify the boundaries of the TCA and remain clear--a sharp reminder to not become complacent in my preflight/flight planning action. My only airspace suggestion is: due to the proximity of the san gabriel mountains and the likelihood of santa ana winds, perhaps the segment of the TCA formed by the pdz 273 degree right could extend all the way to the 25 NM arc of the lax VORTAC or continue the pom 251 degree right to the lax 15 NM arc to be joined by the vny 107 degree right and eliminate the pdz 273 degree completely more room to maneuver south of mt wilson. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: heading change to avoid turbulence along base of mountains plus strong santa ana winds caused enough drift to create TCA penetration. No FAA follow-up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS PENETRATED TCA.

Narrative: WINDS AT THE TIME OF DEP FROM ONT WERE 040 DEGS AT 25 KTS, GUSTING TO 35 KTS (SANTA ANA CONDITION). I WAS EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB ON CLBOUT, AS WELL AS STRONG UP/DOWN DRAFTS AND WIND SHEAR OF +25 KTS/-15 KTS. OTHER ACFT ON FREQ WERE RPTING THE SAME, INCLUDING AN LGT 5-7 NM S OF CABLE ARPT, WHILE CLIMB OUT OF 7000' MSL. KNOWING CABLE WAS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS' BASES, I STEERED SLIGHTLY FARTHER LEFT OF MY W HDG IN AN EFFORT TO REMAIN CLR OF THE WORST TURB. AN ERROR ON MY PART WAS FORGETTING THE NE WINDS WOULD CAUSE ME TO DRIFT TO THE SW, ANYWAY. AS RADAR SVC WITH ONT DEP WAS TERMINATED, A CENTER FREQ WAS SUGGESTED, BUT PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT WAS ISSUED WITH REGARD TO MY PROX TO THE LA TCA. (I REALIZE THIS IS NOT REQUIRED OF ATC.) UPON CONTACTING ZLA (128.20) AND IDENTING ON A NEW XPONDER CODE, I WAS ADVISED OF MY POS INSIDE THE TCA AND WAS GIVEN A RIGHT TURN OF 30 DEGS TO CLR THE AIRSPACE. THIS INCIDENT, I FEEL, RESTS COMPLETELY WITHIN THE REALM OF MY RESPONSIBILITY. OUT OF HABIT FROM DEPARTING ONT ON CLR, SMOOTH MORNINGS VFR AND PROCEEDING NW TOWARD MT WILSON AND THEN ON TO LAKE HUGHES. I NEGLECTED TO PROPERLY IDENT THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TCA AND REMAIN CLR--A SHARP REMINDER TO NOT BECOME COMPLACENT IN MY PREFLT/FLT PLANNING ACTION. MY ONLY AIRSPACE SUGGESTION IS: DUE TO THE PROX OF THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF SANTA ANA WINDS, PERHAPS THE SEGMENT OF THE TCA FORMED BY THE PDZ 273 DEG R COULD EXTEND ALL THE WAY TO THE 25 NM ARC OF THE LAX VORTAC OR CONTINUE THE POM 251 DEG R TO THE LAX 15 NM ARC TO BE JOINED BY THE VNY 107 DEG R AND ELIMINATE THE PDZ 273 DEG COMPLETELY MORE ROOM TO MANEUVER S OF MT WILSON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: HDG CHANGE TO AVOID TURB ALONG BASE OF MOUNTAINS PLUS STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS CAUSED ENOUGH DRIFT TO CREATE TCA PENETRATION. NO FAA FOLLOW-UP.

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.