Narrative:

I was traveling wbound along V-441 VFR at about 2500 ft MSL, under the edge of the orlando TCA. I was monitoring, but not in contact with orlando approach. I noticed that the LORAN was not functioning properly when I attempted to confirm the location of R-2901E to my south. I began a slow climb, intending to level off at 2900 (100 ft below the floor of the TCA in that area) to try and avoid some turbulence and take advantage of the tailwind that increased with altitude. While slowly climbing (200-300 FPM) I also attempted to recycle and reset the LORAN. The LORAN was not cooperating and became very distracting. I looked over at the altimeter just as it passed through 3050 ft MSL. I immediately realized that I had busted the floor of the orlando TCA and began an immediate descent to my original altitude of 2500 ft MSL. I estimate my highest altitude at less than 3100 ft MSL and my total time in the TCA at less than 30 seconds. I quit messing with LORAN and concentrated on returning home safely. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Contributing factors: lack of sleep/physical exhaustion resulting in decreased mental alertness and decreased situational awareness. Distraction by non-essential cockpit duties. Failure to request flight following by patrick approach or orlando approach. While under flight following, random altitude changes are less likely. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he was not using instrument charts but was taking instrument instruction and was familiar with terminology. Also stated that he has since read the article in callback which suggested 500 ft clearance from TCA floor. He now practices such clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS TCA WHILE VFR WITH NO CONTACT AND NO CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS TRAVELING WBOUND ALONG V-441 VFR AT ABOUT 2500 FT MSL, UNDER THE EDGE OF THE ORLANDO TCA. I WAS MONITORING, BUT NOT IN CONTACT WITH ORLANDO APCH. I NOTICED THAT THE LORAN WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM THE LOCATION OF R-2901E TO MY S. I BEGAN A SLOW CLB, INTENDING TO LEVEL OFF AT 2900 (100 FT BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TCA IN THAT AREA) TO TRY AND AVOID SOME TURB AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TAILWIND THAT INCREASED WITH ALT. WHILE SLOWLY CLBING (200-300 FPM) I ALSO ATTEMPTED TO RECYCLE AND RESET THE LORAN. THE LORAN WAS NOT COOPERATING AND BECAME VERY DISTRACTING. I LOOKED OVER AT THE ALTIMETER JUST AS IT PASSED THROUGH 3050 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT I HAD BUSTED THE FLOOR OF THE ORLANDO TCA AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO MY ORIGINAL ALT OF 2500 FT MSL. I ESTIMATE MY HIGHEST ALT AT LESS THAN 3100 FT MSL AND MY TOTAL TIME IN THE TCA AT LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. I QUIT MESSING WITH LORAN AND CONCENTRATED ON RETURNING HOME SAFELY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LACK OF SLEEP/PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION RESULTING IN DECREASED MENTAL ALERTNESS AND DECREASED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. DISTR BY NON-ESSENTIAL COCKPIT DUTIES. FAILURE TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING BY PATRICK APCH OR ORLANDO APCH. WHILE UNDER FLT FOLLOWING, RANDOM ALT CHANGES ARE LESS LIKELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE WAS NOT USING INST CHARTS BUT WAS TAKING INST INSTRUCTION AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH TERMINOLOGY. ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS SINCE READ THE ARTICLE IN CALLBACK WHICH SUGGESTED 500 FT CLRNC FROM TCA FLOOR. HE NOW PRACTICES SUCH CLRNC.

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.