GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration TCA.

Attributes
ACN	86770
Time
Date	198805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	86770
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I contacted chicago approach control on 125.7 - gave my location and intentions and requested to transition the TCA, present altitude. I received a squawk transponder code, and instructed to identify. Controllers comments then went to other planes. A short time passed and the controller stated, 'I don't see you--but I see that the computer has you, o--well report to me when you have meig's in sight.' I was located west, about to enter the TCA and interpreted the controllers remarks to be an ATC authorization for operating within the chicago TCA. However, after another short period of time, the approach controller state, 'where are you??!!! O-oo there you are?? Turn at once to 270 and descend to 3000, you are inside the TCA. I complied at once and reported level at 3000, heading 270. The controller then said turn left to 090 and report meig's field when I had it in sight. I did, and contacted the tower and landed meig's. I believe the situation occurred because the controller stated that the computer had me. My request was to transition the TCA, to meig's field. I was approaching from the west, I had four choices. One to go under, one to go over, one to go around, or fourth to go through the TCA. I was given a transponder code, and asked to identify. I had heard from the controller that the computer had me and to report to him, the controller, when I had meig's insight. My transponder was reporting on mode C, therefore I felt approach knew where I was, and at what altitude and would contact me and instructed me to descend before I entered the TCA, if I was not to enter. My suggestions as to how to prevent a recurrence. This problem was overload on the controller, he stated several times, 'all you people calling, just be patient, I will get to you' and 'I don't see you, but the computer has you' and 'report to me when you have meig's in sight' is not the usual pilot controller radio exchange and makes for misunderstanding if requests have have approved. I felt I have approval to enter the TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION TCA.

Narrative: I CONTACTED CHICAGO APCH CTL ON 125.7 - GAVE MY LOCATION AND INTENTIONS AND REQUESTED TO TRANSITION THE TCA, PRESENT ALT. I RECEIVED A SQUAWK TRANSPONDER CODE, AND INSTRUCTED TO IDENT. CTLRS COMMENTS THEN WENT TO OTHER PLANES. A SHORT TIME PASSED AND THE CTLR STATED, 'I DON'T SEE YOU--BUT I SEE THAT THE COMPUTER HAS YOU, O--WELL REPORT TO ME WHEN YOU HAVE MEIG'S IN SIGHT.' I WAS LOCATED WEST, ABOUT TO ENTER THE TCA AND INTERPRETED THE CTLRS REMARKS TO BE AN ATC AUTHORIZATION FOR OPERATING WITHIN THE CHICAGO TCA. HOWEVER, AFTER ANOTHER SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE APCH CTLR STATE, 'WHERE ARE YOU??!!! O-OO THERE YOU ARE?? TURN AT ONCE TO 270 AND DESCEND TO 3000, YOU ARE INSIDE THE TCA. I COMPLIED AT ONCE AND REPORTED LEVEL AT 3000, HEADING 270. THE CTLR THEN SAID TURN LEFT TO 090 AND REPORT MEIG'S FIELD WHEN I HAD IT IN SIGHT. I DID, AND CONTACTED THE TWR AND LANDED MEIG'S. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE CTLR STATED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD ME. MY REQUEST WAS TO TRANSITION THE TCA, TO MEIG'S FIELD. I WAS APCHING FROM THE WEST, I HAD FOUR CHOICES. ONE TO GO UNDER, ONE TO GO OVER, ONE TO GO AROUND, OR FOURTH TO GO THROUGH THE TCA. I WAS GIVEN A TRANSPONDER CODE, AND ASKED TO IDENT. I HAD HEARD FROM THE CTLR THAT THE COMPUTER HAD ME AND TO REPORT TO HIM, THE CTLR, WHEN I HAD MEIG'S INSIGHT. MY TRANSPONDER WAS REPORTING ON MODE C, THEREFORE I FELT APCH KNEW WHERE I WAS, AND AT WHAT ALT AND WOULD CONTACT ME AND INSTRUCTED ME TO DESCEND BEFORE I ENTERED THE TCA, IF I WAS NOT TO ENTER. MY SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE. THIS PROBLEM WAS OVERLOAD ON THE CTLR, HE STATED SEVERAL TIMES, 'ALL YOU PEOPLE CALLING, JUST BE PATIENT, I WILL GET TO YOU' AND 'I DON'T SEE YOU, BUT THE COMPUTER HAS YOU' AND 'REPORT TO ME WHEN YOU HAVE MEIG'S IN SIGHT' IS NOT THE USUAL PLT CTLR RADIO EXCHANGE AND MAKES FOR MISUNDERSTANDING IF REQUESTS HAVE HAVE APPROVED. I FELT I HAVE APPROVAL TO ENTER THE TCA.

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.