Approach controller stated that customs aircraft penetrated the TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	89640
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pgy airport : nzy
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san tower : bfl
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 156 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	89639
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	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XA05 hours local time small transport departed runway 29 at NAS north island, san diego, ca, proceeding sebnd along the coast. At XA08 hours small transport checked in with the us customs radar facility (C3I), whose radar dishes are located atop laguna mountain, 41 1/2 mi northeast of nzy. Small transport turned east north east bound at XA11 abeam navy outlying field imperial beach. As PIC sitting the left seat, I watched olf imperial beach pass between my seat and the left nacelle. About 4 mins later I saw brownfield also pass below between my seat and the left nacelle. At approximately XA22 I turned north and proceeded directly to julian VOR. I began my turn to the north at 12800'. After landing and talking to san TRACON, I called and spoke to the us customs radar operator who was giving me flight following. He told me small transport was at no time more than 2 mi north of the mexican border and well outside the san TCA. In the last 1 1/2 yrs san TRACON has told me I was in mexican airspace south of the us border when in fact I was at least 1 mi north of the border and could see the mexican town of tecate below and to the so of my position. Tecate is a town east of brownfield and built right on the border.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR STATED THAT CUSTOMS ACFT PENETRATED THE TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA05 HRS LCL TIME SMT DEPARTED RWY 29 AT NAS NORTH ISLAND, SAN DIEGO, CA, PROCEEDING SEBND ALONG THE COAST. AT XA08 HRS SMT CHKED IN WITH THE U.S. CUSTOMS RADAR FAC (C3I), WHOSE RADAR DISHES ARE LOCATED ATOP LAGUNA MOUNTAIN, 41 1/2 MI NE OF NZY. SMT TURNED EAST NORTH EAST BOUND AT XA11 ABEAM NAVY OUTLYING FIELD IMPERIAL BEACH. AS PIC SITTING THE LEFT SEAT, I WATCHED OLF IMPERIAL BEACH PASS BTWN MY SEAT AND THE LEFT NACELLE. ABOUT 4 MINS LATER I SAW BROWNFIELD ALSO PASS BELOW BTWN MY SEAT AND THE LEFT NACELLE. AT APPROX XA22 I TURNED N AND PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO JULIAN VOR. I BEGAN MY TURN TO THE N AT 12800'. AFTER LNDG AND TALKING TO SAN TRACON, I CALLED AND SPOKE TO THE U.S. CUSTOMS RADAR OPERATOR WHO WAS GIVING ME FLT FOLLOWING. HE TOLD ME SMT WAS AT NO TIME MORE THAN 2 MI N OF THE MEXICAN BORDER AND WELL OUTSIDE THE SAN TCA. IN THE LAST 1 1/2 YRS SAN TRACON HAS TOLD ME I WAS IN MEXICAN AIRSPACE S OF THE U.S. BORDER WHEN IN FACT I WAS AT LEAST 1 MI N OF THE BORDER AND COULD SEE THE MEXICAN TOWN OF TECATE BELOW AND TO THE SO OF MY POS. TECATE IS A TOWN E OF BROWNFIELD AND BUILT RIGHT ON THE BORDER.

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.