GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace oak arsa.

Attributes
ACN	91377
Time
Date	198807
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	91377
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Yesterday I was returning to oak after an uneventful day. I departed sjc and was 17 NM southeast of oak when I tried to reach bay on 135.4 for the routine arsa clearance. About 13 mi out I got my squawk and idented. This frequency is usually very busy and especially so during the cargo rush. On the frequency they had a trnee with a supervisor in the background. As I started to come up on hwd at 2500' I began to get concerned since I hadn't been verified in radar contact. Since the trnee was busy vectoring an light transport and a couple of other aircraft, I figured he had me on the scope but wanted to take care of more important things. This has happened a number of times. Suddenly bay will come in and say 'flight identification, radar contact, contact oak tower 118.3.' I didn't want to intrude into the busy frequency. While passing hwd I tried to get on but bay was too busy. Four mi from oak I got a word in and now bay hand't seen my squawk and I reidented and was told I had entered the arsa west/O a clearance and was given a number to the facility. I was following a routine pattern that bay had accepted many, many times. My suggestion for safety is to not put trnees on at the most critical time of the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE OAK ARSA.

Narrative: YESTERDAY I WAS RETURNING TO OAK AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL DAY. I DEPARTED SJC AND WAS 17 NM SE OF OAK WHEN I TRIED TO REACH BAY ON 135.4 FOR THE ROUTINE ARSA CLRNC. ABOUT 13 MI OUT I GOT MY SQUAWK AND IDENTED. THIS FREQ IS USUALLY VERY BUSY AND ESPECIALLY SO DURING THE CARGO RUSH. ON THE FREQ THEY HAD A TRNEE WITH A SUPVR IN THE BACKGROUND. AS I STARTED TO COME UP ON HWD AT 2500' I BEGAN TO GET CONCERNED SINCE I HADN'T BEEN VERIFIED IN RADAR CONTACT. SINCE THE TRNEE WAS BUSY VECTORING AN LTT AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ACFT, I FIGURED HE HAD ME ON THE SCOPE BUT WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF MORE IMPORTANT THINGS. THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. SUDDENLY BAY WILL COME IN AND SAY 'FLT ID, RADAR CONTACT, CONTACT OAK TWR 118.3.' I DIDN'T WANT TO INTRUDE INTO THE BUSY FREQ. WHILE PASSING HWD I TRIED TO GET ON BUT BAY WAS TOO BUSY. FOUR MI FROM OAK I GOT A WORD IN AND NOW BAY HAND'T SEEN MY SQUAWK AND I REIDENTED AND WAS TOLD I HAD ENTERED THE ARSA W/O A CLRNC AND WAS GIVEN A NUMBER TO THE FAC. I WAS FOLLOWING A ROUTINE PATTERN THAT BAY HAD ACCEPTED MANY, MANY TIMES. MY SUGGESTION FOR SAFETY IS TO NOT PUT TRNEES ON AT THE MOST CRITICAL TIME OF THE DAY.

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.