Narrative:

I was proceeding according to my flight plan east from the skaggs VOR on 100 degree right intending to intersect salinas 345 degree right with a x-ref to sjc 101 and to track salinas 345. I was due to contact travis approach with our position and intent. I had cleared to 5500' above a broken cloud layer and was maintaining VFR. I had limited ground reference. I encountered a complete loss of navigation/communication radios approximately over benicia (both were operational to that point). I continued to the approximately south turning point + 5 mins further using compass headings (time and distance). I turned south on a heading of 160 degrees in an attempt to stay clear of control zones and of course the TCA. All the while I monitored the transponder which is mode C equipped and gave a signal that it was being received. I maintained 5500' elevation and VFR throughout and piloted the plane until reaching a completely clear ground reference. I realized the aircraft had drifted 10 mi west of my desired line of flight. I maintained VFR while descending in order to land at an uncontrolled airport (san martin). I was east of sjc when I succeeded in reactivating the communication radio and I immediately called the control tower and gave my position and tried to explain my situation. I had very garbled communication until they assigned a different frequency and everything was cleared up. I continued toward salinas as I knew there was a radio shop there, but once again had trouble with the communication and landed instead at hollister. I successfully made the repairs (wiring loose) and the radios were once again functional. I continued the flight successfully with no navigation/communication problems to santa barbara.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA OPERATING ON TOP OF A BROKEN DECK LOST NAVIGATION-COM RADIOS AND MAY HAVE ENTERED SFO TCA.

Narrative: I WAS PROCEEDING ACCORDING TO MY FLT PLAN E FROM THE SKAGGS VOR ON 100 DEG R INTENDING TO INTERSECT SALINAS 345 DEG R WITH A X-REF TO SJC 101 AND TO TRACK SALINAS 345. I WAS DUE TO CONTACT TRAVIS APCH WITH OUR POS AND INTENT. I HAD CLRED TO 5500' ABOVE A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER AND WAS MAINTAINING VFR. I HAD LIMITED GND REF. I ENCOUNTERED A COMPLETE LOSS OF NAV/COM RADIOS APPROX OVER BENICIA (BOTH WERE OPERATIONAL TO THAT POINT). I CONTINUED TO THE APPROX S TURNING POINT + 5 MINS FURTHER USING COMPASS HDGS (TIME AND DISTANCE). I TURNED S ON A HDG OF 160 DEGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO STAY CLR OF CTL ZONES AND OF COURSE THE TCA. ALL THE WHILE I MONITORED THE XPONDER WHICH IS MODE C EQUIPPED AND GAVE A SIGNAL THAT IT WAS BEING RECEIVED. I MAINTAINED 5500' ELEVATION AND VFR THROUGHOUT AND PILOTED THE PLANE UNTIL REACHING A COMPLETELY CLR GND REF. I REALIZED THE ACFT HAD DRIFTED 10 MI W OF MY DESIRED LINE OF FLT. I MAINTAINED VFR WHILE DSNDING IN ORDER TO LAND AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT (SAN MARTIN). I WAS E OF SJC WHEN I SUCCEEDED IN REACTIVATING THE COM RADIO AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CTL TWR AND GAVE MY POS AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN MY SITUATION. I HAD VERY GARBLED COM UNTIL THEY ASSIGNED A DIFFERENT FREQ AND EVERYTHING WAS CLRED UP. I CONTINUED TOWARD SALINAS AS I KNEW THERE WAS A RADIO SHOP THERE, BUT ONCE AGAIN HAD TROUBLE WITH THE COM AND LANDED INSTEAD AT HOLLISTER. I SUCCESSFULLY MADE THE REPAIRS (WIRING LOOSE) AND THE RADIOS WERE ONCE AGAIN FUNCTIONAL. I CONTINUED THE FLT SUCCESSFULLY WITH NO NAV/COM PROBS TO SANTA BARBARA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.