GA small aircraft TCA penetration without authority/authorized.

Attributes
ACN	86769
Time
Date	198805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san airport : sdm
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 26
ASRS Report	86769
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft towed a glider from sdm on an easterly direction. Using jli to keep track of position re; TCA. After discovering aircraft VOR fluctuations of plus or minus 15 degree, I feel I might have penetrated the san TCA in the area of lyons peak thinking I was further east. Not only was navigation radio discovered unreliable, the x-ponder which was on 1200 has been questioned by ATC as being off code as well as large mode C altitude changes while aircraft was in level flight. It seems company equipment is of low quality.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TCA PENETRATION WITHOUT AUTH.

Narrative: ACFT TOWED A GLIDER FROM SDM ON AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. USING JLI TO KEEP TRACK OF POSITION RE; TCA. AFTER DISCOVERING ACFT VOR FLUCTUATIONS OF PLUS OR MINUS 15 DEG, I FEEL I MIGHT HAVE PENETRATED THE SAN TCA IN THE AREA OF LYONS PEAK THINKING I WAS FURTHER EAST. NOT ONLY WAS NAV RADIO DISCOVERED UNRELIABLE, THE X-PONDER WHICH WAS ON 1200 HAS BEEN QUESTIONED BY ATC AS BEING OFF CODE AS WELL AS LARGE MODE C ALT CHANGES WHILE ACFT WAS IN LEVEL FLT. IT SEEMS COMPANY EQUIPMENT IS OF LOW QUALITY.

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.