Penetrated the TCA while under radar surveillance.

Attributes
ACN	88986
Time
Date	198806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tracon : stl tower : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	88986
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I entered the TCA at stl while under flight following surveillance on 6/thu/88. Approximately 40 mi east of the stl VOR, flight following terminated and I was instructed to squawk 1200 and contact stl approach. The stl controller informed me that she was too busy to handle me, but might be back to me in about 15 mins, then gave me a frequency for another controller who also informed me he was too busy. The visibility was not good, 5 or 6 mi, and I had experienced strong headwinds at 8500' earlier on that flight, so I contacted kc center and informed the controller of my location, altitude, destination and that stl was too busy to handle me. The controller assigned me a transponder code (not 1200) and asked altitude. I informed him that I was at 6500', but would accept any altitude he chose. I was informed that I was under radar surveillance but received no further communications from kc center until I called them when I could see the city of st louis. The controller seemed to experience difficulty in receiving my transmission, however, I told him more than one time that I could see st louis and did not want to enter the TCA illegally. The controller again asked me to say altitude (the aircraft had a working mode C) and then instructed me to climb to 8500' saying that he would call stl approach to determine my location. His next transmission informed me that I was on the edge of the TCA approach and that I should climb to 8500' and take a south westerly heading. I complied and kc center provided radar service to my destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATED THE TCA WHILE UNDER RADAR SURVEILLANCE.

Narrative: I ENTERED THE TCA AT STL WHILE UNDER FLT FOLLOWING SURVEILLANCE ON 6/THU/88. APPROX 40 MI E OF THE STL VOR, FLT FOLLOWING TERMINATED AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CONTACT STL APCH. THE STL CTLR INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS TOO BUSY TO HANDLE ME, BUT MIGHT BE BACK TO ME IN ABOUT 15 MINS, THEN GAVE ME A FREQ FOR ANOTHER CTLR WHO ALSO INFORMED ME HE WAS TOO BUSY. THE VIS WAS NOT GOOD, 5 OR 6 MI, AND I HAD EXPERIENCED STRONG HEADWINDS AT 8500' EARLIER ON THAT FLT, SO I CONTACTED KC CENTER AND INFORMED THE CTLR OF MY LOCATION, ALT, DEST AND THAT STL WAS TOO BUSY TO HANDLE ME. THE CTLR ASSIGNED ME A TRANSPONDER CODE (NOT 1200) AND ASKED ALT. I INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS AT 6500', BUT WOULD ACCEPT ANY ALT HE CHOSE. I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS UNDER RADAR SURVEILLANCE BUT RECEIVED NO FURTHER COMS FROM KC CENTER UNTIL I CALLED THEM WHEN I COULD SEE THE CITY OF ST LOUIS. THE CTLR SEEMED TO EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING MY XMISSION, HOWEVER, I TOLD HIM MORE THAN ONE TIME THAT I COULD SEE ST LOUIS AND DID NOT WANT TO ENTER THE TCA ILLEGALLY. THE CTLR AGAIN ASKED ME TO SAY ALT (THE ACFT HAD A WORKING MODE C) AND THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO CLB TO 8500' SAYING THAT HE WOULD CALL STL APCH TO DETERMINE MY LOCATION. HIS NEXT XMISSION INFORMED ME THAT I WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE TCA APCH AND THAT I SHOULD CLB TO 8500' AND TAKE A S WESTERLY HDG. I COMPLIED AND KC CENTER PROVIDED RADAR SVC TO MY DEST.

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.