Narrative:

On a VFR flight from sba to john wayne, I inadvertently deviated into controled TCA west/O clearance. Circumstances surrounding this began earlier. I was with sba approach for VFR advisories initially leaving sba. I was handed off to magu approach near ventura. The controller asked if I planned to go through the TCA. I replied in the affirmative. He then instructed me to fly direct to smo and handed me off to lax departure. I was with them VFR at 3500' until just before smo when controller said TCA clearance at 3500' impossible at this time, squawk 1200, remain clear of TCA, frequency change approach. I was then uncertain about how to proceed. It was overcast and I was on top with no direct visibility reference. I felt I'd been led up the canyon. At this time my DME read 22.5 and I decided to scribe a DME arc around the TCA is 'out to sea.' I turned right to 180 degrees and tried to review the situation. In a couple of mins I noticed a big error. My DME was still on ventura and on changing it to lax found it to read 8. Realizing my error I descended to 2000' and arrived there at the 11 DME point. From here I navigated the boundary making no further incursion. Contributing factors include: constantly changing radios and procedures in fact earlier in the day. I did call hawthorne FSS to review current procedure and was instructed to get with approach control and I'd been taken through. No mention was made of 'special flight rules airspace.' of course, now I fully understand all new procedures, but feel that if contacted flight along shoreline or inland route cannot be accommodated, pilot should be advised early enough to circumnav as necessary in event he is either unprepared or unwilling to negotiate special flight rules area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter had difficulty locating current TCA chart since the change in the TCA was just 2 days prior. On the flight to sba had been advised by FSS at hhr to operate just as before and lax would clear you through the corridor. This in fact was the case northbound. Not the case when returning to home base. No conflict during incursion into the TCA. Was using ADF for direct navigation to smo. No contact from FAA reference the penetration.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCA PENETRATION WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM SBA TO JOHN WAYNE, I INADVERTENTLY DEVIATED INTO CTLED TCA W/O CLRNC. CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THIS BEGAN EARLIER. I WAS WITH SBA APCH FOR VFR ADVISORIES INITIALLY LEAVING SBA. I WAS HANDED OFF TO MAGU APCH NEAR VENTURA. THE CTLR ASKED IF I PLANNED TO GO THROUGH THE TCA. I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY DIRECT TO SMO AND HANDED ME OFF TO LAX DEP. I WAS WITH THEM VFR AT 3500' UNTIL JUST BEFORE SMO WHEN CTLR SAID TCA CLRNC AT 3500' IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS TIME, SQUAWK 1200, REMAIN CLR OF TCA, FREQ CHANGE APCH. I WAS THEN UNCERTAIN ABOUT HOW TO PROCEED. IT WAS OVCST AND I WAS ON TOP WITH NO DIRECT VIS REF. I FELT I'D BEEN LED UP THE CANYON. AT THIS TIME MY DME READ 22.5 AND I DECIDED TO SCRIBE A DME ARC AROUND THE TCA IS 'OUT TO SEA.' I TURNED RIGHT TO 180 DEGS AND TRIED TO REVIEW THE SITUATION. IN A COUPLE OF MINS I NOTICED A BIG ERROR. MY DME WAS STILL ON VENTURA AND ON CHANGING IT TO LAX FOUND IT TO READ 8. REALIZING MY ERROR I DSNDED TO 2000' AND ARRIVED THERE AT THE 11 DME POINT. FROM HERE I NAVIGATED THE BOUNDARY MAKING NO FURTHER INCURSION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE: CONSTANTLY CHANGING RADIOS AND PROCS IN FACT EARLIER IN THE DAY. I DID CALL HAWTHORNE FSS TO REVIEW CURRENT PROC AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO GET WITH APCH CTL AND I'D BEEN TAKEN THROUGH. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF 'SPECIAL FLT RULES AIRSPACE.' OF COURSE, NOW I FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL NEW PROCS, BUT FEEL THAT IF CONTACTED FLT ALONG SHORELINE OR INLAND RTE CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED, PLT SHOULD BE ADVISED EARLY ENOUGH TO CIRCUMNAV AS NECESSARY IN EVENT HE IS EITHER UNPREPARED OR UNWILLING TO NEGOTIATE SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAD DIFFICULTY LOCATING CURRENT TCA CHART SINCE THE CHANGE IN THE TCA WAS JUST 2 DAYS PRIOR. ON THE FLT TO SBA HAD BEEN ADVISED BY FSS AT HHR TO OPERATE JUST AS BEFORE AND LAX WOULD CLR YOU THROUGH THE CORRIDOR. THIS IN FACT WAS THE CASE NBND. NOT THE CASE WHEN RETURNING TO HOME BASE. NO CONFLICT DURING INCURSION INTO THE TCA. WAS USING ADF FOR DIRECT NAV TO SMO. NO CONTACT FROM FAA REF THE PENETRATION.

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.