Unauthorized penetration of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	92446
Time
Date	198808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bed
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos tower : bed
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	92446
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from ewr to bed at 17500' MSL, radar services were terminated over worcester, ma. Started VFR descent, contacted bos approach 124.40, 12 NM southwest of bed airport descending through 6000' MSL, was radar idented 10 NM southwest of bed airport. Bos approach handed me off to bed tower. Bed tower told me to enter right downwind for runway 29 at or above 1500' MSL. All during this time I was descending at a rate of 2000 FPM and navigating in the direction of bed's LOM. Upon landing at bed, I was notified to contact bos approach by telephone. When I contacted bos approach I was notified that I had entered the TCA west/O a clearance. I was using bed's LOM and bos VOR (DME) to stay clear of the TCA at all times during my descent to bed. I feel that this situation occurred because: radar services should not be terminated because a controller does not want to take the time to hand an aircraft over to another controller. Controllers today act more like traffic officers and don't offer assistance in preventing situations like this from occurring. I feel if bos approach felt I was going to enter the TCA, they should have notified me or gave me a clearance into the TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF TCA.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM EWR TO BED AT 17500' MSL, RADAR SVCS WERE TERMINATED OVER WORCESTER, MA. STARTED VFR DSCNT, CONTACTED BOS APCH 124.40, 12 NM SW OF BED ARPT DSNDING THROUGH 6000' MSL, WAS RADAR IDENTED 10 NM SW OF BED ARPT. BOS APCH HANDED ME OFF TO BED TWR. BED TWR TOLD ME TO ENTER RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 29 AT OR ABOVE 1500' MSL. ALL DURING THIS TIME I WAS DSNDING AT A RATE OF 2000 FPM AND NAVIGATING IN THE DIRECTION OF BED'S LOM. UPON LNDG AT BED, I WAS NOTIFIED TO CONTACT BOS APCH BY TELEPHONE. WHEN I CONTACTED BOS APCH I WAS NOTIFIED THAT I HAD ENTERED THE TCA W/O A CLRNC. I WAS USING BED'S LOM AND BOS VOR (DME) TO STAY CLR OF THE TCA AT ALL TIMES DURING MY DSCNT TO BED. I FEEL THAT THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE: RADAR SVCS SHOULD NOT BE TERMINATED BECAUSE A CTLR DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO HAND AN ACFT OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR. CTLRS TODAY ACT MORE LIKE TFC OFFICERS AND DON'T OFFER ASSISTANCE IN PREVENTING SITUATIONS LIKE THIS FROM OCCURRING. I FEEL IF BOS APCH FELT I WAS GOING TO ENTER THE TCA, THEY SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME OR GAVE ME A CLRNC INTO THE TCA.

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.