Narrative:

I was PIC of govt light transport on 2/wed/88 for an airborne scientific flight departing VFR from runway 32 at NAS moffett field, ca, at about xx PST. We planned a south departure to proceed to the vicinity of the big sur VORTAC for our mission. We usually conduct these missions VFR because of the area and altitudes we are working. On this particular flight, as is our normal procedure, we requested radar advisories from moffett ground control on our taxi for takeoff. Ground control advised us that bay approach was unable to give radar advisories. We departed runway 32L and made a left turn out. Due to our preoccupation with trying to contact bay departure for advisories and the reduced ground visibility (3 mi at nuq), I inadvertently turned to a southeast heading instead of a south heading as planned. Since a south heading out of nuq almost immediately places us under the TCA east area, I planned my climb to 5500'. By inadvertently turning southwest, I believe we may have unintentionally nicked the bottom of TCA area D on our climb to 5500'. I was so confident we were clear of the TCA, I felt our DME, which was turned to sfo, was erroneous. I recommend that in the future these missions be conducted with either IFR departures or VFR radar advisories with the coordination being established before takeoff. I also recommend that if bay approach is 'unable' to provide advisories, that they provide a time estimate as to when they might be able. During our climb to 5500', several aircraft were noted arriving in the bay area, none of which appeared to pose a critical traffic problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot was asked to call TRACON when on ground. TRACON had to vector a twin commuter to avoid conflict. Pilot received letter from FSDO re: violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLYING GOVT LTT TURNED TO WRONG HEADING AFTER DEP, PENETRATED TCA ON CLIMB.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF GOVT LTT ON 2/WED/88 FOR AN AIRBORNE SCIENTIFIC FLT DEPARTING VFR FROM RWY 32 AT NAS MOFFETT FIELD, CA, AT ABOUT XX PST. WE PLANNED A S DEP TO PROCEED TO THE VICINITY OF THE BIG SUR VORTAC FOR OUR MISSION. WE USUALLY CONDUCT THESE MISSIONS VFR BECAUSE OF THE AREA AND ALTS WE ARE WORKING. ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT, AS IS OUR NORMAL PROC, WE REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES FROM MOFFETT GND CTL ON OUR TAXI FOR TKOF. GND CTL ADVISED US THAT BAY APCH WAS UNABLE TO GIVE RADAR ADVISORIES. WE DEPARTED RWY 32L AND MADE A LEFT TURN OUT. DUE TO OUR PREOCCUPATION WITH TRYING TO CONTACT BAY DEP FOR ADVISORIES AND THE REDUCED GND VISIBILITY (3 MI AT NUQ), I INADVERTENTLY TURNED TO A SE HDG INSTEAD OF A S HDG AS PLANNED. SINCE A S HDG OUT OF NUQ ALMOST IMMEDIATELY PLACES US UNDER THE TCA E AREA, I PLANNED MY CLB TO 5500'. BY INADVERTENTLY TURNING SW, I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE UNINTENTIONALLY NICKED THE BOTTOM OF TCA AREA D ON OUR CLB TO 5500'. I WAS SO CONFIDENT WE WERE CLR OF THE TCA, I FELT OUR DME, WHICH WAS TURNED TO SFO, WAS ERRONEOUS. I RECOMMEND THAT IN THE FUTURE THESE MISSIONS BE CONDUCTED WITH EITHER IFR DEPS OR VFR RADAR ADVISORIES WITH THE COORD BEING ESTABLISHED BEFORE TKOF. I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT IF BAY APCH IS 'UNABLE' TO PROVIDE ADVISORIES, THAT THEY PROVIDE A TIME ESTIMATE AS TO WHEN THEY MIGHT BE ABLE. DURING OUR CLB TO 5500', SEVERAL ACFT WERE NOTED ARRIVING IN THE BAY AREA, NONE OF WHICH APPEARED TO POSE A CRITICAL TFC PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT WAS ASKED TO CALL TRACON WHEN ON GND. TRACON HAD TO VECTOR A TWIN COMMUTER TO AVOID CONFLICT. PLT RECEIVED LETTER FROM FSDO RE: VIOLATION.

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.