General aviation pilot described a very confused event regarding an IFR flight into L18 while being ...

Narrative:

Departed the bay area; cleared via airways to ave VOR; then direct L18. Upon hand off to la center; clearance was amended to via sli VOR; ocn VOR; direct. I noted that this routing took me through camp pendleton's R2503 (multiple sectors); but since IFR; I presumed ATC would handle coordination; or perhaps the restricted area was cold. After hand off to the socal sector overlying L18; I arrived at ocn VOR; and turned direct L18. About five minutes later; socal called; asking me where I was going? I replied that I was cleared ocn direct L18. Socal responded; somewhat agitatedly; that I was in the restricted area and gave me a 90 degree right turn to clear the restricted area. I complied and asked him how he thought I was cleared? Socal replied that he didn't know; but not through the restricted area. I guess that made two of us that didn't know what my clearance was supposed to be; not a good circumstance. I then received a clearance direct L18; once direct would keep me clear of the restricted area. The controller advised I was on a three mile downwind; did I have the airport in sight? I replied negative; I was unfamiliar with the airport; and was planning the GPS 18 approach. Socal replied that the only approach available was the visual; so I had to see the airport. I advised socal that I didn't see a NOTAM; either published or in my briefing; that made the approach unavailable. Socal did not reply. I remain curious as to how I could have been on a visual approach though never having been notified by socal that I was on a visual approach. I guess I was meant to infer that from his question about whether I saw the airport. Socal advised that I had flown past the airport; so I turned back toward the airport as illustrated by my IFR-approved GPS. Socal complained that I could not turn since I was on an IFR clearance. Made we wonder what happened to that IFR clearance when I was flying through the restricted area; apparently unbidden. I then canceled IFR; and continued toward the airport; spotting it when about 2 miles away; and 3;000 AGL above. I descended in the pattern; in coordination with other pattern traffic; and landed uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: General Aviation pilot described a very confused event regarding an IFR flight into L18 while being handled by SCT. Pilot indicating possible entry into a restricted area because of the IFR routing and confusion regarding a Visual Approach.

Narrative: Departed the Bay Area; cleared via airways to AVE VOR; then direct L18. Upon hand off to LA Center; clearance was amended to via SLI VOR; OCN VOR; direct. I noted that this routing took me through Camp Pendleton's R2503 (multiple sectors); but since IFR; I presumed ATC would handle coordination; or perhaps the restricted area was cold. After hand off to the SOCAL sector overlying L18; I arrived at OCN VOR; and turned direct L18. About five minutes later; SOCAL called; asking me where I was going? I replied that I was cleared OCN direct L18. SOCAL responded; somewhat agitatedly; that I was in the restricted area and gave me a 90 degree right turn to clear the restricted area. I complied and asked him how he thought I was cleared? SOCAL replied that he didn't know; but not through the restricted area. I guess that made two of us that didn't know what my clearance was SUPPOSED to be; not a good circumstance. I then received a clearance direct L18; once direct would keep me clear of the restricted area. The controller advised I was on a three mile downwind; did I have the airport in sight? I replied negative; I was unfamiliar with the airport; and was planning the GPS 18 Approach. SOCAL replied that the ONLY approach available was the visual; so I had to see the airport. I advised SOCAL that I didn't see a NOTAM; either published or in my briefing; that made the approach unavailable. SOCAL did not reply. I remain curious as to how I could have been on a visual approach though never having been notified by SOCAL that I was on a visual approach. I guess I was meant to infer that from his question about whether I saw the airport. SOCAL advised that I had flown past the airport; so I turned back toward the airport as illustrated by my IFR-approved GPS. SOCAL complained that I could not turn since I was on an IFR clearance. Made we wonder what happened to that IFR clearance when I was flying through the restricted area; apparently unbidden. I then canceled IFR; and continued toward the airport; spotting it when about 2 miles away; and 3;000 AGL above. I descended in the pattern; in coordination with other pattern traffic; and landed uneventfully.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	986988
Time
Date	201112
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	SCT.TRACON
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35 Flight Crew Total 4500 Flight Crew Type 1100
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

General aviation pilot described a very confused event regarding an IFR flight into L18 while being handled by sct. Pilot indicating possible entry into a restricted area because of the IFR routing and confusion regarding a visual approach.