Narrative:

I was PIC of an air taxi flight from abe to dca VFR at 4500' MSL and contacted bwi approach (133.0) over the susquehanna river about 40 mi northeast of bwi and requested radar advisories and a handoff to dca approach for landing at dca. As we were handed off to the south controller (119.7) we repeated the request for handoff the washington approach. At about 18 DME from dca we were told, 'unable to effect a handoff to washington, descend below 2500' to remain below the washington TCA, contact them 124.2, squawk 1200, good day,' or words to that effect. At this point we were 1 min from penetrating the TCA. We tried 124.2 with no response, then 126.55, who responded and advised another frequency--I believe 119.8 or some such. By this time we were about 1 mi from the TCA and turned from a southwesterly heading to a southeasterly heading to remain clear. We finally raised washington on 124.2, who quickly cleared us into the TCA. The problem as I see it is contiguous positive controled airspace between bwi and dca west/O a certain handoff procedure for VFR traffic. The arsa and TCA are contiguous so there is no uncontrolled buffer to leave one approach facility and contact another unless below 2500'. There should be provisions for a handoff or clearance to remain in one facility's control until accepted by another, which is what washington did on the outbnd leg. It would be very difficult for an aircraft not equipped with DME, which we had, to avoid an airspace violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT HAS DIFFICULTY OBTAINING CLRNC INTO THE DCA TCA.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF AN AIR TAXI FLT FROM ABE TO DCA VFR AT 4500' MSL AND CONTACTED BWI APCH (133.0) OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER ABOUT 40 MI NE OF BWI AND REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES AND A HDOF TO DCA APCH FOR LNDG AT DCA. AS WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE S CTLR (119.7) WE REPEATED THE REQUEST FOR HDOF THE WASHINGTON APCH. AT ABOUT 18 DME FROM DCA WE WERE TOLD, 'UNABLE TO EFFECT A HDOF TO WASHINGTON, DSND BELOW 2500' TO REMAIN BELOW THE WASHINGTON TCA, CONTACT THEM 124.2, SQUAWK 1200, GOOD DAY,' OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. AT THIS POINT WE WERE 1 MIN FROM PENETRATING THE TCA. WE TRIED 124.2 WITH NO RESPONSE, THEN 126.55, WHO RESPONDED AND ADVISED ANOTHER FREQ--I BELIEVE 119.8 OR SOME SUCH. BY THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE TCA AND TURNED FROM A SOUTHWESTERLY HDG TO A SOUTHEASTERLY HDG TO REMAIN CLR. WE FINALLY RAISED WASHINGTON ON 124.2, WHO QUICKLY CLRED US INTO THE TCA. THE PROB AS I SEE IT IS CONTIGUOUS POSITIVE CTLED AIRSPACE BTWN BWI AND DCA W/O A CERTAIN HDOF PROC FOR VFR TFC. THE ARSA AND TCA ARE CONTIGUOUS SO THERE IS NO UNCTLED BUFFER TO LEAVE ONE APCH FAC AND CONTACT ANOTHER UNLESS BELOW 2500'. THERE SHOULD BE PROVISIONS FOR A HDOF OR CLRNC TO REMAIN IN ONE FAC'S CTL UNTIL ACCEPTED BY ANOTHER, WHICH IS WHAT WASHINGTON DID ON THE OUTBND LEG. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR AN ACFT NOT EQUIPPED WITH DME, WHICH WE HAD, TO AVOID AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION.

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.