Narrative:

While ferrying en route from fll to portland, me, flight was VFR and normal until after departure from norfolk, va (approximately 40 mins). I had filed for V139 from sea isle 114.8 sie direct to pwm. After crossing sie approach, handed me over and was told to squawk 1200. I requested flight following from the new controller. He told me that he was quite busy, but would get back. I remained on the frequency for approximately another 20 mins while still trying to raise him. I experienced a slow deteriorating of communications and began to smell smoke. My DME began to get weak and then stopped functioning. As my primary dg was inoperative, I was navigating on my wet compass and copilot's dg. The autoplt was also inoperative. I entered a line of thunderstorms and found it quite difficult to maintain altitude approximately 200' and heading because of the turbulence. I monitored different frequency and tried to raise them. No luck. In order to remain VFR and to try to get a position fix, I headed at an angle back to shore. I also turned off one of my navs and one of my communications to stop the smell of smoke. As I began to pick up the coast, I realized that I was southeast of jfk approximately 15 mins. I continued to try to raise approach and maintain VFR. I turned back on my other navigation communication and was able to raise ZBW on 132.3. Shortly after I picked up hampton VOR 113.6. As the WX was deteriorating MVFR, I requested a flight plan with ZBW to final destination of pwm. By alternating the radios and navigation equipment I was able to navigation west/O further problem. Shortly after ZBW gave me a # to call FAA administration in ny, which I believe was about my incursion into the TCA at jfk. I tried the # they gave me several time, but believe it either mis-copied the phone # or it was given to me in error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT FERRYING ACFT LOST COM AND NAVIGATION CAPABILITY. ENTERED N90 TCA. CONTINUED ENROUTE TO PWM. WAS LATER ABLE TO COM WITH ZBW AND RECOVERED NAVIGATION CAPABILITY.

Narrative: WHILE FERRYING ENRTE FROM FLL TO PORTLAND, ME, FLT WAS VFR AND NORMAL UNTIL AFTER DEP FROM NORFOLK, VA (APPROX 40 MINS). I HAD FILED FOR V139 FROM SEA ISLE 114.8 SIE DIRECT TO PWM. AFTER XING SIE APCH, HANDED ME OVER AND WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200. I REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING FROM THE NEW CTLR. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS QUITE BUSY, BUT WOULD GET BACK. I REMAINED ON THE FREQ FOR APPROX ANOTHER 20 MINS WHILE STILL TRYING TO RAISE HIM. I EXPERIENCED A SLOW DETERIORATING OF COMS AND BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. MY DME BEGAN TO GET WEAK AND THEN STOPPED FUNCTIONING. AS MY PRIMARY DG WAS INOP, I WAS NAVING ON MY WET COMPASS AND COPLT'S DG. THE AUTOPLT WAS ALSO INOP. I ENTERED A LINE OF TSTMS AND FOUND IT QUITE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN ALT APPROX 200' AND HDG BECAUSE OF THE TURB. I MONITORED DIFFERENT FREQ AND TRIED TO RAISE THEM. NO LUCK. IN ORDER TO REMAIN VFR AND TO TRY TO GET A POS FIX, I HEADED AT AN ANGLE BACK TO SHORE. I ALSO TURNED OFF ONE OF MY NAVS AND ONE OF MY COMS TO STOP THE SMELL OF SMOKE. AS I BEGAN TO PICK UP THE COAST, I REALIZED THAT I WAS SE OF JFK APPROX 15 MINS. I CONTINUED TO TRY TO RAISE APCH AND MAINTAIN VFR. I TURNED BACK ON MY OTHER NAV COM AND WAS ABLE TO RAISE ZBW ON 132.3. SHORTLY AFTER I PICKED UP HAMPTON VOR 113.6. AS THE WX WAS DETERIORATING MVFR, I REQUESTED A FLT PLAN WITH ZBW TO FINAL DEST OF PWM. BY ALTERNATING THE RADIOS AND NAV EQUIP I WAS ABLE TO NAV W/O FURTHER PROB. SHORTLY AFTER ZBW GAVE ME A # TO CALL FAA ADMINISTRATION IN NY, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS ABOUT MY INCURSION INTO THE TCA AT JFK. I TRIED THE # THEY GAVE ME SEVERAL TIME, BUT BELIEVE IT EITHER MIS-COPIED THE PHONE # OR IT WAS GIVEN TO ME IN ERROR.

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.