Narrative:

I had been tracking the ard 065 radial to ldj and took cross radials from sjb VOR to provide chkpoints to stay out of TCA. At 3000 ft and 25 NM from ewr, I contacted new york approach on 135.35 to no avail. At 800 ft MSL at the sbj 095 degree radial, I decided to turn back. Since I had only 1 VOR receiver, I returned to the ard 065 degree radial. I headed north again, with the ard 065 degree radial to my starboard side. After a few mins, I established contact with ldj and told them I was lost and requested assistance. I was told to contact ewr on 127.85 for a vector to linden. I contacted ewr, changed my transponder code and idented. I was then notified that I was 1 mi inside the TCA and to turn to a heading of 270 degrees. A moment later, ewr advised me ldj was at my 12 O'clock and to contact ldj CTAF. I landed at ldj without further incident. After I reached my 25 NM chkpoint from ewr, and for the remainder of the flight, I could not understand why I could not establish contact on 135.35. I had checked 3 sources for an approach frequency, as I wanted to stay out of ewr TCA and fully expected to be ushered into ldj under radar control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PRIVATE SMA PLT GOT A LITTLE BIT LOST AND ENTERED THE NEW YORK TCA WITHOUT CLRNC. N90 WOULD NOT REPLY ON A PUBLISHED FREQ.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN TRACKING THE ARD 065 RADIAL TO LDJ AND TOOK CROSS RADIALS FROM SJB VOR TO PROVIDE CHKPOINTS TO STAY OUT OF TCA. AT 3000 FT AND 25 NM FROM EWR, I CONTACTED NEW YORK APCH ON 135.35 TO NO AVAIL. AT 800 FT MSL AT THE SBJ 095 DEG RADIAL, I DECIDED TO TURN BACK. SINCE I HAD ONLY 1 VOR RECEIVER, I RETURNED TO THE ARD 065 DEG RADIAL. I HEADED N AGAIN, WITH THE ARD 065 DEG RADIAL TO MY STARBOARD SIDE. AFTER A FEW MINS, I ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH LDJ AND TOLD THEM I WAS LOST AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT EWR ON 127.85 FOR A VECTOR TO LINDEN. I CONTACTED EWR, CHANGED MY TRANSPONDER CODE AND IDENTED. I WAS THEN NOTIFIED THAT I WAS 1 MI INSIDE THE TCA AND TO TURN TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS. A MOMENT LATER, EWR ADVISED ME LDJ WAS AT MY 12 O'CLOCK AND TO CONTACT LDJ CTAF. I LANDED AT LDJ WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER I REACHED MY 25 NM CHKPOINT FROM EWR, AND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT, I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I COULD NOT ESTABLISH CONTACT ON 135.35. I HAD CHKED 3 SOURCES FOR AN APCH FREQ, AS I WANTED TO STAY OUT OF EWR TCA AND FULLY EXPECTED TO BE USHERED INTO LDJ UNDER RADAR CTL.

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.