Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight plan from montgomery field, san diego to santa barbara when I decided to deviate in order to do some sightseeing in the los angeles area. The original flight plan was to follow victor 363 from san diego to pomona VOR, then turn west at 6500' to santa barbara. Instead we continued up the coast to long beach harbor, took some photographs of the queen mary, then proceeded (with ATC clearance) through the long beach air traffic area and intercepted the 321 degree right of the seal beach VORTAC. From there we turned to a course of 321 and tracked the VOR at an altitude of 1900' (flying under the lax TCA). At this point, I'm afraid, I was paying more attention to the sights than to navigation and I inadvertently followed the VOR right into the bur arsa. When I saw the airport I was already well within the arsa and I passed within 2 mi of the airport. Upon realizing my position I immediately began a climb on a northeasterly heading in order to get out of the arsa by the fastest possible route. After clearing the arsa I leveled off at 6500' and continued on my VFR flight plan to santa barbara. During the period in which I was in the arsa I passed only one other aircraft which was traveling in the opp direction. Our closest distance to each other was about 1 mi horizontal, and approximately 500' vertical (twin turboprop). Note: this form as well as AC00-46 was very hard to obtain. Neither the san diego FSDO nor FSS could provide me with the actual form and I had to settle for a copy of one of theirs. Suggest you make these forms more accessible. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter advised had received a transponder code 4200 from lgb tower for penetration of the air traffic area. At time of entering the bur arsa was still using that code. No contact from bur approach or FAA reference the incident. Aircraft encountered was more than 1 mi from his position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATED ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN FROM MONTGOMERY FIELD, SAN DIEGO TO SANTA BARBARA WHEN I DECIDED TO DEVIATE IN ORDER TO DO SOME SIGHTSEEING IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. THE ORIGINAL FLT PLAN WAS TO FOLLOW VICTOR 363 FROM SAN DIEGO TO POMONA VOR, THEN TURN W AT 6500' TO SANTA BARBARA. INSTEAD WE CONTINUED UP THE COAST TO LONG BEACH HARBOR, TOOK SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE QUEEN MARY, THEN PROCEEDED (WITH ATC CLRNC) THROUGH THE LONG BEACH ATA AND INTERCEPTED THE 321 DEG R OF THE SEAL BEACH VORTAC. FROM THERE WE TURNED TO A COURSE OF 321 AND TRACKED THE VOR AT AN ALT OF 1900' (FLYING UNDER THE LAX TCA). AT THIS POINT, I'M AFRAID, I WAS PAYING MORE ATTN TO THE SIGHTS THAN TO NAV AND I INADVERTENTLY FOLLOWED THE VOR R INTO THE BUR ARSA. WHEN I SAW THE ARPT I WAS ALREADY WELL WITHIN THE ARSA AND I PASSED WITHIN 2 MI OF THE ARPT. UPON REALIZING MY POS I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A CLB ON A NORTHEASTERLY HDG IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE ARSA BY THE FASTEST POSSIBLE ROUTE. AFTER CLRING THE ARSA I LEVELED OFF AT 6500' AND CONTINUED ON MY VFR FLT PLAN TO SANTA BARBARA. DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH I WAS IN THE ARSA I PASSED ONLY ONE OTHER ACFT WHICH WAS TRAVELING IN THE OPP DIRECTION. OUR CLOSEST DISTANCE TO EACH OTHER WAS ABOUT 1 MI HORIZ, AND APPROX 500' VERT (TWIN TURBOPROP). NOTE: THIS FORM AS WELL AS AC00-46 WAS VERY HARD TO OBTAIN. NEITHER THE SAN DIEGO FSDO NOR FSS COULD PROVIDE ME WITH THE ACTUAL FORM AND I HAD TO SETTLE FOR A COPY OF ONE OF THEIRS. SUGGEST YOU MAKE THESE FORMS MORE ACCESSIBLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR ADVISED HAD RECEIVED A TRANSPONDER CODE 4200 FROM LGB TWR FOR PENETRATION OF THE ATA. AT TIME OF ENTERING THE BUR ARSA WAS STILL USING THAT CODE. NO CONTACT FROM BUR APCH OR FAA REF THE INCIDENT. ACFT ENCOUNTERED WAS MORE THAN 1 MI FROM HIS POS.

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.