Narrative:

Inadvertently, I entered the la TCA by flying the hollywood park route exactly as depicted on the chart (132 degree right/smo from long beach/terminal island/queen mary to century city high rise) at 4500'; the only reason I can figure for this error is following the arrows on the chart. There may be some confusion/inadvertent errors caused by the fact that the chart doesn't show the 'old' corridor on the chart in some way. I have used the new routes (all 3 routes) through the TCA numerous times. This incursion was not deliberate. It was only discovered by me when I called la approach at their request (via burbank ground control). I suspect that this is not the first such incident nor will it be the last. The chart should show the 3 routes on the full color depiction as well as the blue/white insert blocks. Going from side to side -- view to view in flight is not conducive to see and avoid. It is conducive to errors. In retrospect, I think I fixated on keeping exactly on the 132 degree right/smo and somehow this fixation/concentration 'blocked' out my full attention to the proper procedure (i.e., obtaining a clearance and assigned squawk). Instead, I set up the aircraft to 1201 on transponder, navigation lights on, 4500' MSL, and flew right through the TCA just as though I was using the 'old' corridor. After seeing how easily this mistake was made I now understand how TCA incursions (like this one) happen. I certainly will be less condemning (and more understanding) of the problem; but I think a change in the color depiction on the chart that shows all three routes will enhance safety and reduce the chance for errors of this type. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following. The report is in error. Reporter did fly the hollywood park route exactly as depicted but he was thinking that he was entitled to the provisions of the 'lax special flight rules area,' the route directly over the lax airport that does not require communications with or a clearance from ATC. He thinks that if all three routes were depicted on the full color chart, the choice of routes would be more obvious and pilots would be less likely to repeat his mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLEW ROUTE THROUGH LAX TCA THAT REQUIRES ATC CLRNC THINKING HE WAS FLYING ANOTHER ROUTE THAT REQUIRES NO CLRNC.

Narrative: INADVERTENTLY, I ENTERED THE LA TCA BY FLYING THE HOLLYWOOD PARK ROUTE EXACTLY AS DEPICTED ON THE CHART (132 DEG R/SMO FROM LONG BEACH/TERMINAL ISLAND/QUEEN MARY TO CENTURY CITY HIGH RISE) AT 4500'; THE ONLY REASON I CAN FIGURE FOR THIS ERROR IS FOLLOWING THE ARROWS ON THE CHART. THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION/INADVERTENT ERRORS CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE CHART DOESN'T SHOW THE 'OLD' CORRIDOR ON THE CHART IN SOME WAY. I HAVE USED THE NEW ROUTES (ALL 3 ROUTES) THROUGH THE TCA NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS INCURSION WAS NOT DELIBERATE. IT WAS ONLY DISCOVERED BY ME WHEN I CALLED LA APCH AT THEIR REQUEST (VIA BURBANK GND CTL). I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SUCH INCIDENT NOR WILL IT BE THE LAST. THE CHART SHOULD SHOW THE 3 ROUTES ON THE FULL COLOR DEPICTION AS WELL AS THE BLUE/WHITE INSERT BLOCKS. GOING FROM SIDE TO SIDE -- VIEW TO VIEW IN FLT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO SEE AND AVOID. IT IS CONDUCIVE TO ERRORS. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK I FIXATED ON KEEPING EXACTLY ON THE 132 DEG R/SMO AND SOMEHOW THIS FIXATION/CONCENTRATION 'BLOCKED' OUT MY FULL ATTN TO THE PROPER PROC (I.E., OBTAINING A CLRNC AND ASSIGNED SQUAWK). INSTEAD, I SET UP THE ACFT TO 1201 ON XPONDER, NAV LIGHTS ON, 4500' MSL, AND FLEW RIGHT THROUGH THE TCA JUST AS THOUGH I WAS USING THE 'OLD' CORRIDOR. AFTER SEEING HOW EASILY THIS MISTAKE WAS MADE I NOW UNDERSTAND HOW TCA INCURSIONS (LIKE THIS ONE) HAPPEN. I CERTAINLY WILL BE LESS CONDEMNING (AND MORE UNDERSTANDING) OF THE PROB; BUT I THINK A CHANGE IN THE COLOR DEPICTION ON THE CHART THAT SHOWS ALL THREE ROUTES WILL ENHANCE SAFETY AND REDUCE THE CHANCE FOR ERRORS OF THIS TYPE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING. THE RPT IS IN ERROR. RPTR DID FLY THE HOLLYWOOD PARK RTE EXACTLY AS DEPICTED BUT HE WAS THINKING THAT HE WAS ENTITLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE 'LAX SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA,' THE RTE DIRECTLY OVER THE LAX ARPT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE COMS WITH OR A CLRNC FROM ATC. HE THINKS THAT IF ALL THREE ROUTES WERE DEPICTED ON THE FULL COLOR CHART, THE CHOICE OF ROUTES WOULD BE MORE OBVIOUS AND PLTS WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO REPEAT HIS MISTAKE.

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.