Small aircraft entr san TCA.

Attributes
ACN	96476
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mzb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	96476
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 : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed toa IFR flight to lto baja via mzb tij lto direct. On reaching VFR, IFR cancelled and on top of low stratus overcast LORAN/VOR/DME used for navigation direct to mzb. Altitude 9500, Q1200/C inbound on mzb 300 degree right. Call to san apr abeam ocn VOR - apr communication. Was busy with 'top gun' traffic out of miramar NAS. When apr was finally contacted (2-3 mins), we requested VFR TCA handling. Informed we were already within the TCA were given a squawk and told to proceed on course VFR at 9500. No further action was taken. No other aircraft were observed and no targets were called out. This unintentional intrusion was precipitated by: 1) flying on top. No ground reference. 2) a tailwind. Higher G/south. 3) delay on frequency due to multiple aircraft. 4) inability to quickly and easily determine DME distance and proper frequencys on both VFR and IFR charts. Comment. My recommendation is that TCA's, arsa's and other positive control area's be better defined on charts with DME arc distances plainly printed and proper frequencys properly and boldly displayed on all charts, VFR-IFR., govt and comm, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTR SAN TCA.

Narrative: DEPARTED TOA IFR FLT TO LTO BAJA VIA MZB TIJ LTO DIRECT. ON REACHING VFR, IFR CANCELLED AND ON TOP OF LOW STRATUS OVCST LORAN/VOR/DME USED FOR NAV DIRECT TO MZB. ALT 9500, Q1200/C INBND ON MZB 300 DEG R. CALL TO SAN APR ABEAM OCN VOR - APR COM. WAS BUSY WITH 'TOP GUN' TFC OUT OF MIRAMAR NAS. WHEN APR WAS FINALLY CONTACTED (2-3 MINS), WE REQUESTED VFR TCA HANDLING. INFORMED WE WERE ALREADY WITHIN THE TCA WERE GIVEN A SQUAWK AND TOLD TO PROCEED ON COURSE VFR AT 9500. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN. NO OTHER ACFT WERE OBSERVED AND NO TARGETS WERE CALLED OUT. THIS UNINTENTIONAL INTRUSION WAS PRECIPITATED BY: 1) FLYING ON TOP. NO GND REF. 2) A TAILWIND. HIGHER G/S. 3) DELAY ON FREQ DUE TO MULTIPLE ACFT. 4) INABILITY TO QUICKLY AND EASILY DETERMINE DME DISTANCE AND PROPER FREQS ON BOTH VFR AND IFR CHARTS. COMMENT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT TCA'S, ARSA'S AND OTHER PCA'S BE BETTER DEFINED ON CHARTS WITH DME ARC DISTANCES PLAINLY PRINTED AND PROPER FREQS PROPERLY AND BOLDLY DISPLAYED ON ALL CHARTS, VFR-IFR., GOVT AND COMM, ETC.

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.