Narrative:

I was planning to fly VFR from whiteman airport to torrance to attend a special aviation function. I had already waited for WX to clear from marginal VFR to visibility 5 mi and no ceilings en route, to have a safer flight. After takeoff I contacted bur approach 120.4 and told them I was heading southbound, climbing to 3500'. Controller asked direction of flight and that he needed more information. (So as to not take too much time on frequency I was going to wait until established with them to request they call la approach for a clearance for me to enter TCA.) since controller wanter more at that time I said my destination and requested he call la for a clearance to pass thru TCA since I didn't have mode C. The controller proceeded to lecture me on being more specific, that I couldn't go into TCA or sfra or VFR corridors without mode C, that I should be more prepared, blah, blah, blah. I then gave him more specifics, very slowly and wordily, since that's what he seemed to want. He gave me a code to squawk and said if he had time he'd call la approach and if they had time they might give me a clearance. He handed me over to another controller and frequency (124.6). This one was nicer. He confirmed I wanted him to call for a clearance. A few minutes later he came back and said la was too busy and didn't have time for me. I said 'well I'll just do a 180 and go back to whiteman' (I was alone and felt the alternate route around and under the TCA is unsafe in low visibility conditions as it was that day in east la). Callback conversation with reporter revealed following. No flight plan had been filed. Based on information she had received from other pilots an attempt was made to transit the TCA without mode 'C'. It had been reported if bur approach were contacted they would relay a request to transit the TCA and apparently some pilots had been successful. Her decision to return to home base was made and at no time did she enter the TCA. Counseled on using transponder at all times and the reporter concurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATTEMPTED TO GET CLRNC TO PROCEED THROUGH THE SFRA WITHOUT MODE C.

Narrative: I WAS PLANNING TO FLY VFR FROM WHITEMAN ARPT TO TORRANCE TO ATTEND A SPECIAL AVIATION FUNCTION. I HAD ALREADY WAITED FOR WX TO CLR FROM MARGINAL VFR TO VISIBILITY 5 MI AND NO CEILINGS ENRTE, TO HAVE A SAFER FLT. AFTER TKOF I CONTACTED BUR APCH 120.4 AND TOLD THEM I WAS HDG SBND, CLBING TO 3500'. CTLR ASKED DIRECTION OF FLT AND THAT HE NEEDED MORE INFO. (SO AS TO NOT TAKE TOO MUCH TIME ON FREQ I WAS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL ESTABLISHED WITH THEM TO REQUEST THEY CALL LA APCH FOR A CLRNC FOR ME TO ENTER TCA.) SINCE CTLR WANTER MORE AT THAT TIME I SAID MY DEST AND REQUESTED HE CALL LA FOR A CLRNC TO PASS THRU TCA SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE MODE C. THE CTLR PROCEEDED TO LECTURE ME ON BEING MORE SPECIFIC, THAT I COULDN'T GO INTO TCA OR SFRA OR VFR CORRIDORS WITHOUT MODE C, THAT I SHOULD BE MORE PREPARED, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I THEN GAVE HIM MORE SPECIFICS, VERY SLOWLY AND WORDILY, SINCE THAT'S WHAT HE SEEMED TO WANT. HE GAVE ME A CODE TO SQUAWK AND SAID IF HE HAD TIME HE'D CALL LA APCH AND IF THEY HAD TIME THEY MIGHT GIVE ME A CLRNC. HE HANDED ME OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR AND FREQ (124.6). THIS ONE WAS NICER. HE CONFIRMED I WANTED HIM TO CALL FOR A CLRNC. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE CAME BACK AND SAID LA WAS TOO BUSY AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR ME. I SAID 'WELL I'LL JUST DO A 180 AND GO BACK TO WHITEMAN' (I WAS ALONE AND FELT THE ALTERNATE RTE AROUND AND UNDER THE TCA IS UNSAFE IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS AS IT WAS THAT DAY IN EAST LA). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING. NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. BASED ON INFO SHE HAD RECEIVED FROM OTHER PLTS AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO TRANSIT THE TCA WITHOUT MODE 'C'. IT HAD BEEN RPTED IF BUR APCH WERE CONTACTED THEY WOULD RELAY A REQUEST TO TRANSIT THE TCA AND APPARENTLY SOME PLTS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL. HER DECISION TO RETURN TO HOME BASE WAS MADE AND AT NO TIME DID SHE ENTER THE TCA. COUNSELED ON USING TRANSPONDER AT ALL TIMES AND THE RPTR CONCURRED.

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.