GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace and complaint about handling by bur TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	95063
Time
Date	198809
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : emt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 4700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 301 flight time type : 111
ASRS Report	95063
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure lgb. Destination pacoima. Visibility 5-7 K/H. Flew eastbound from lgb to intercept the 360 degree right fr sli. Was maintaining 3500' while tracking northbound under the la TCA. At midpoint I tuned the ADF to 359 degrees and homed to emt. When I reached emt airport and intercepted the 096 degree right fr vny (V186). I tracked wbound toward the bur arsa. I called bur approach on 135.05 and announced my intentions. They directed me to stay clear of the arsa. I remained on V186 and began climbing to overfly the arsa. I received a call back asking me to verify my altitude. I reported 4700' and climbing. They told me to turn right 30 degrees and said that I was in the TCA. I replied that my VOR indicated that I was on V186. They said that I was some mi south of V186 and was actually on the border of the TCA. Due to that last comment, it is unclear to me if I was actually in the TCA. It seems that some controllers have a preferred phrase to private pilots, 'remain clear of the arsa.' if I had been directly on the radial as I thought my VOR indicated, I could have climbed on top west/O incident. I try to be a safe pilot and use whatever radar coverage is available for added safety. I could have elected to fly low and slow skirting the mountains and keeping my mouth shut rather than trying to participate in the arsa. Upon my return flight from pacoima, I obtained radar coverage from bur approach on 120.4, but after a handoff to 135.05 I was informed that my radar coverage was lost and to remain clear of the arsa. How does one remain clear when already in it?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE AND COMPLAINT ABOUT HANDLING BY BUR TRACON.

Narrative: DEP LGB. DEST PACOIMA. VIS 5-7 K/H. FLEW EBND FROM LGB TO INTERCEPT THE 360 DEG R FR SLI. WAS MAINTAINING 3500' WHILE TRACKING NBOUND UNDER THE LA TCA. AT MIDPOINT I TUNED THE ADF TO 359 DEGS AND HOMED TO EMT. WHEN I REACHED EMT ARPT AND INTERCEPTED THE 096 DEG R FR VNY (V186). I TRACKED WBOUND TOWARD THE BUR ARSA. I CALLED BUR APCH ON 135.05 AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS. THEY DIRECTED ME TO STAY CLR OF THE ARSA. I REMAINED ON V186 AND BEGAN CLBING TO OVERFLY THE ARSA. I RECEIVED A CALL BACK ASKING ME TO VERIFY MY ALT. I RPTED 4700' AND CLBING. THEY TOLD ME TO TURN RIGHT 30 DEGS AND SAID THAT I WAS IN THE TCA. I REPLIED THAT MY VOR INDICATED THAT I WAS ON V186. THEY SAID THAT I WAS SOME MI S OF V186 AND WAS ACTUALLY ON THE BORDER OF THE TCA. DUE TO THAT LAST COMMENT, IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME IF I WAS ACTUALLY IN THE TCA. IT SEEMS THAT SOME CTLRS HAVE A PREFERRED PHRASE TO PVT PLTS, 'REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA.' IF I HAD BEEN DIRECTLY ON THE RADIAL AS I THOUGHT MY VOR INDICATED, I COULD HAVE CLBED ON TOP W/O INCIDENT. I TRY TO BE A SAFE PLT AND USE WHATEVER RADAR COVERAGE IS AVAILABLE FOR ADDED SAFETY. I COULD HAVE ELECTED TO FLY LOW AND SLOW SKIRTING THE MOUNTAINS AND KEEPING MY MOUTH SHUT RATHER THAN TRYING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARSA. UPON MY RETURN FLT FROM PACOIMA, I OBTAINED RADAR COVERAGE FROM BUR APCH ON 120.4, BUT AFTER A HDOF TO 135.05 I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RADAR COVERAGE WAS LOST AND TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA. HOW DOES ONE REMAIN CLR WHEN ALREADY IN IT?

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.