Narrative:

In preparation for a trip to san antonio, tx, the aircraft was picked up at andrau air park in houston, to be flown to montgomery county, where other members of the family were to be picked up. This trip is regularly flown around the edge of the houston TCA, where an encoded transponder is required. An attempt to contact houston approach was not successful, so I continued around the TCA squawking 1200 at 2000'. In the meantime, checks were made to account for the lack of communications, which worked at the time of takeoff. After passing 8-10 mi west of D.west. Hooks airport, I turned toward montgomery airport NDB. I was shortly aware that the ADF was in error. Other equipment and engine instruments soon ceased to operate, resulting in a total loss of all electrical equipment, including the transponder. My position was established by reference to ground details, and a safe landing was made at montgomery county airport. It is evident that my location, when the electrical power was lost, was in an area requiring the transponder. It is possible that the TCA was penetrated because of the erroneous headings from the partially functioning ADF. It is also possible that the TCA could have been penetrated during maneuvers to establish my location by ground details. Once it was established that electric power had been lost, I reduced altitude to between 1000 and 1500'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TRANSITING TCA LOST RADIO COM AND NAVIGATION CAPABILITY. PILOTAGE WAS INDEFINITE--MAY HAVE ENTERED TCA.

Narrative: IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIP TO SAN ANTONIO, TX, THE ACFT WAS PICKED UP AT ANDRAU AIR PARK IN HOUSTON, TO BE FLOWN TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHERE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WERE TO BE PICKED UP. THIS TRIP IS REGULARLY FLOWN AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HOUSTON TCA, WHERE AN ENCODED XPONDER IS REQUIRED. AN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT HOUSTON APCH WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, SO I CONTINUED AROUND THE TCA SQUAWKING 1200 AT 2000'. IN THE MEANTIME, CHKS WERE MADE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LACK OF COMS, WHICH WORKED AT THE TIME OF TKOF. AFTER PASSING 8-10 MI W OF D.W. HOOKS ARPT, I TURNED TOWARD MONTGOMERY ARPT NDB. I WAS SHORTLY AWARE THAT THE ADF WAS IN ERROR. OTHER EQUIP AND ENG INSTS SOON CEASED TO OPERATE, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP, INCLUDING THE XPONDER. MY POS WAS ESTABLISHED BY REF TO GND DETAILS, AND A SAFE LNDG WAS MADE AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY ARPT. IT IS EVIDENT THAT MY LOCATION, WHEN THE ELECTRICAL PWR WAS LOST, WAS IN AN AREA REQUIRING THE XPONDER. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE TCA WAS PENETRATED BECAUSE OF THE ERRONEOUS HDGS FROM THE PARTIALLY FUNCTIONING ADF. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE TCA COULD HAVE BEEN PENETRATED DURING MANEUVERS TO ESTABLISH MY LOCATION BY GND DETAILS. ONCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT ELECTRIC PWR HAD BEEN LOST, I REDUCED ALT TO BTWN 1000 AND 1500'.

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.