Narrative:

I proceeded down the owens valley passing 1/2 mi east of the pmd VOR intending a direct flight to disneyland by RNAV (pdz 240 degrees, 20 DME). From disneyland I normally requested a straight in for runway 25R at lgb. Five mi south of pmd VOR lgb ATIS informed me that runway 25L was closed. Monitoring the tower frequency, I learned that there was extremely heavy incoming traffic demands on runway 25R. The lgb controller appeared to be overloaded with incoming traffic requests and was informing pilots that she would call them back in 10 mins and to remain over the harbor area. Shortly thereafter, she asked that no one call her for 10 mins. Because of a concern for fuel and not knowing how long the delays would be, I called coast approach on 124.65, 15 NM north of sli on the 015 degree right at 4500' requesting IFR into lgb and began a right turn direct to sli VOR. I was informed that the frequency for that area was 124.1, which I called with the same request. That controller informed me that the frequency for that airspace was 127.2. At this point while still inbound to sli VOR, I went back to lgb tower and found that they were now allowing traffic, holding in the harbor area, to proceed inbound at 2000' or above for crossing over the airport for landing on runway 25R. I crossed over sli at 3500' and began a gradual right turn 2 mi ssw of sli and received landing clearance for lgb. Ground control informed me that lax approach wanted a call from me. Lax approach informed me that I had gone through the TCA, crossing directly over fullerton airport. In recreating my flight path, I determined that I made an error and entered the TCA north fullerton airport above 4000'. I believe the problem took place due to several contributing factors: when an attempt was made to get an IFR clearance into lgb, VFR charts were replaced with IFR charts. The confusion at lgb and the difficulty I encountered in reaching coast approach directed my attention away from my remaining clear of the TCA. A concern that if delays were too long at lgb I may have to land at an alternate airport. Deviation from my normal route of flight into lgb when entering the left.a. Basin from the north. The lgb tower was unable to accommodate straight in landing from disneyland at the time of my flight. I definitely believe that even though there were factors contributing to distraction, there is no excuse for entering the TCA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF LAX TCA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I PROCEEDED DOWN THE OWENS VALLEY PASSING 1/2 MI E OF THE PMD VOR INTENDING A DIRECT FLT TO DISNEYLAND BY RNAV (PDZ 240 DEGS, 20 DME). FROM DISNEYLAND I NORMALLY REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 25R AT LGB. FIVE MI S OF PMD VOR LGB ATIS INFORMED ME THAT RWY 25L WAS CLOSED. MONITORING THE TWR FREQ, I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY INCOMING TFC DEMANDS ON RWY 25R. THE LGB CTLR APPEARED TO BE OVERLOADED WITH INCOMING TFC REQUESTS AND WAS INFORMING PLTS THAT SHE WOULD CALL THEM BACK IN 10 MINS AND TO REMAIN OVER THE HARBOR AREA. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SHE ASKED THAT NO ONE CALL HER FOR 10 MINS. BECAUSE OF A CONCERN FOR FUEL AND NOT KNOWING HOW LONG THE DELAYS WOULD BE, I CALLED COAST APCH ON 124.65, 15 NM N OF SLI ON THE 015 DEG R AT 4500' REQUESTING IFR INTO LGB AND BEGAN A RIGHT TURN DIRECT TO SLI VOR. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FREQ FOR THAT AREA WAS 124.1, WHICH I CALLED WITH THE SAME REQUEST. THAT CTLR INFORMED ME THAT THE FREQ FOR THAT AIRSPACE WAS 127.2. AT THIS POINT WHILE STILL INBND TO SLI VOR, I WENT BACK TO LGB TWR AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE NOW ALLOWING TFC, HOLDING IN THE HARBOR AREA, TO PROCEED INBND AT 2000' OR ABOVE FOR XING OVER THE ARPT FOR LNDG ON RWY 25R. I CROSSED OVER SLI AT 3500' AND BEGAN A GRADUAL RIGHT TURN 2 MI SSW OF SLI AND RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC FOR LGB. GND CTL INFORMED ME THAT LAX APCH WANTED A CALL FROM ME. LAX APCH INFORMED ME THAT I HAD GONE THROUGH THE TCA, XING DIRECTLY OVER FULLERTON ARPT. IN RECREATING MY FLT PATH, I DETERMINED THAT I MADE AN ERROR AND ENTERED THE TCA N FULLERTON ARPT ABOVE 4000'. I BELIEVE THE PROB TOOK PLACE DUE TO SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO GET AN IFR CLRNC INTO LGB, VFR CHARTS WERE REPLACED WITH IFR CHARTS. THE CONFUSION AT LGB AND THE DIFFICULTY I ENCOUNTERED IN REACHING COAST APCH DIRECTED MY ATTN AWAY FROM MY REMAINING CLEAR OF THE TCA. A CONCERN THAT IF DELAYS WERE TOO LONG AT LGB I MAY HAVE TO LAND AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT. DEVIATION FROM MY NORMAL ROUTE OF FLT INTO LGB WHEN ENTERING THE L.A. BASIN FROM THE N. THE LGB TWR WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE STRAIGHT IN LNDG FROM DISNEYLAND AT THE TIME OF MY FLT. I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DISTR, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ENTERING 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.