Narrative:

En route from westchester county airport (hpn) to somerset, nj (N52). Preflight FSS reported VFR with haze dropping to marginal VFR from newark airport eastward due to thickening haze. Conditions at initiation of flight as per FSS, however conditions reduced to MVFR shortly thereafter. Upon departure, contacted ny approach for flight advisory. Ny ATC advised transmission very weak however my reception of them was fair/good. Switched to cm 2 and attempted to determine cause of transmission problem. While checking connections was caught in an updraft not immediately identified. ATC advised I was in violation of TCA by 100'. Initiated immediate correction. Continued under ATC until 10 mi northeast of N52. Was unable to determine cause of radio failure. Altimeter at time of infraction read 3080'. TCA limit 3000'. Throughout flight ATC had difficulty with other aircraft at low altitudes, i.e., ATC advised aircraft 3-4 times of TCA clearance prior to aircraft acknowledgement. Human performance considerations: 1) although not wishing to fly higher than 2900 and 1600 throughout TCA in view of visibility considerations, PIC should have requested TCA clearance to cover circumstances as those outlined above. Acknowledging a 'no tolerance' requirement, PIC in future will avoid flying under TCA's in congested areas at all cost without prior TCA clearance. 2) approximately 1/2 way enroute ATC requested I render an IFR bearing to an NDB which is not on the VFR charts. PIC response was negative after attempting to determine whereabouts of NDB. It was not until back at airport that PIC determined NDB was only on IFR charts. Since flight was VFR and VFR charts only on board, ATC should request bearings to appropriate navaids on applicable flts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED NY TCA.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY ARPT (HPN) TO SOMERSET, NJ (N52). PREFLT FSS REPORTED VFR WITH HAZE DROPPING TO MARGINAL VFR FROM NEWARK ARPT EASTWARD DUE TO THICKENING HAZE. CONDITIONS AT INITIATION OF FLT AS PER FSS, HOWEVER CONDITIONS REDUCED TO MVFR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. UPON DEP, CONTACTED NY APCH FOR FLT ADVISORY. NY ATC ADVISED XMISSION VERY WEAK HOWEVER MY RECEPTION OF THEM WAS FAIR/GOOD. SWITCHED TO CM 2 AND ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF XMISSION PROBLEM. WHILE CHECKING CONNECTIONS WAS CAUGHT IN AN UPDRAFT NOT IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED. ATC ADVISED I WAS IN VIOLATION OF TCA BY 100'. INITIATED IMMEDIATE CORRECTION. CONTINUED UNDER ATC UNTIL 10 MI NE OF N52. WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF RADIO FAILURE. ALTIMETER AT TIME OF INFRACTION READ 3080'. TCA LIMIT 3000'. THROUGHOUT FLT ATC HAD DIFFICULTY WITH OTHER ACFT AT LOW ALTS, I.E., ATC ADVISED ACFT 3-4 TIMES OF TCA CLRNC PRIOR TO ACFT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: 1) ALTHOUGH NOT WISHING TO FLY HIGHER THAN 2900 AND 1600 THROUGHOUT TCA IN VIEW OF VISIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS, PIC SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED TCA CLRNC TO COVER CIRCUMSTANCES AS THOSE OUTLINED ABOVE. ACKNOWLEDGING A 'NO TOLERANCE' REQUIREMENT, PIC IN FUTURE WILL AVOID FLYING UNDER TCA'S IN CONGESTED AREAS AT ALL COST WITHOUT PRIOR TCA CLRNC. 2) APPROX 1/2 WAY ENROUTE ATC REQUESTED I RENDER AN IFR BEARING TO AN NDB WHICH IS NOT ON THE VFR CHARTS. PIC RESPONSE WAS NEGATIVE AFTER ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHEREABOUTS OF NDB. IT WAS NOT UNTIL BACK AT ARPT THAT PIC DETERMINED NDB WAS ONLY ON IFR CHARTS. SINCE FLT WAS VFR AND VFR CHARTS ONLY ON BOARD, ATC SHOULD REQUEST BEARINGS TO APPROPRIATE NAVAIDS ON APPLICABLE FLTS.

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.