Pilot distraction aircraft equipment problem inadvertently reenters TCA.

Attributes
ACN	183886
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos tower : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	183886
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff from lwm, experienced fuel flow problems causing engine to drop in and out. Already in radar contact with flight following and assigned transponder code. Also had clearance through TCA, circled towards bed and notified approach of problem and intentions to land at bed. Approach dumped me into traffic pattern with the usual 'squawk 1200', etc. While spiraling/gliding to bed, got fuel flow resumed and engine relit. Confident of the fuel flow resolution I started a climb out towards my destination. I switched my radio back to boston approach with a 'nxxxx back with you!' although the frequency was the same, a different voice asked for a squawk identify and responded with 'you have entered the boston TCA without clearance', etc. In my attention to the aircraft, I had forgotten about the squawk 1200 transmission I had earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DISTR ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM INADVERTENTLY REENTERS TCA.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM LWM, EXPERIENCED FUEL FLOW PROBLEMS CAUSING ENG TO DROP IN AND OUT. ALREADY IN RADAR CONTACT WITH FLT FOLLOWING AND ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE. ALSO HAD CLRNC THROUGH TCA, CIRCLED TOWARDS BED AND NOTIFIED APCH OF PROBLEM AND INTENTIONS TO LAND AT BED. APCH DUMPED ME INTO TFC PATTERN WITH THE USUAL 'SQUAWK 1200', ETC. WHILE SPIRALING/GLIDING TO BED, GOT FUEL FLOW RESUMED AND ENG RELIT. CONFIDENT OF THE FUEL FLOW RESOLUTION I STARTED A CLB OUT TOWARDS MY DEST. I SWITCHED MY RADIO BACK TO BOSTON APCH WITH A 'NXXXX BACK WITH YOU!' ALTHOUGH THE FREQ WAS THE SAME, A DIFFERENT VOICE ASKED FOR A SQUAWK IDENT AND RESPONDED WITH 'YOU HAVE ENTERED THE BOSTON TCA WITHOUT CLRNC', ETC. IN MY ATTN TO THE ACFT, I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE SQUAWK 1200 XMISSION I HAD EARLIER.

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.