Navigation error by private pilot in an small aircraft during a night operation. Unauthorized penetr...

Attributes
ACN	294366
Time
Date	199501
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	294366
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying from sjc to haf at night, I leveled off at 3500 ft and was not cleared into class B. I had set #1 navigation radio to sjc and was following 270 degree radial as a precaution (as a backup to pilotage). At the point being handed from one controller (bay) to another, I got no reply. For 2-5 mins I continued to try to contact bay approach with no result. At first I could hear other radio traffic, then only silence. With the VOR needle centered, I felt confident that I was on course and not in class B airspace. At some point, I looked out a side window and realized I was over the bay, 2-3 mi off course. I turned left to get out of class B and back on course. On the way back to my intended course, my radio seemed to start working again. This may have been by coincidence, or a result my flipping switches back and forth, working the frequency knobs back and forth, jiggling connectors, etc. I got a reply from bay approach and continued the rest of my intended course (sjc-haf-ccr- sjc) without incident. Contributing factors: last digit of VOR frequency display dead. Possibility of wrong frequency selected (but I don't think so). #1 radio wouldn't transmit (I was using #2) could be indicative of larger problem with this aircraft's communication/navigation gear. During the entire incident, it is possible that I was transmitting, but not receiving communication or navigation (hence dead VOR needle). At the point of being handoff, I may have been given the wrong frequency, or bay might have been ignoring me. (Wouldn't be the first time). I failed to 'aviate, navigation, communicate,' I let communication take precedence over navigation. Lost communication = stress. Did not realize both communication and navigation were simultaneously inoperative, continued to trust VOR needle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAV ERROR BY PVT PLT IN AN SMA DURING A NIGHT OP. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE, PROX OF APCH ROUTE TO SFO.

Narrative: FLYING FROM SJC TO HAF AT NIGHT, I LEVELED OFF AT 3500 FT AND WAS NOT CLRED INTO CLASS B. I HAD SET #1 NAV RADIO TO SJC AND WAS FOLLOWING 270 DEG RADIAL AS A PRECAUTION (AS A BACKUP TO PILOTAGE). AT THE POINT BEING HANDED FROM ONE CTLR (BAY) TO ANOTHER, I GOT NO REPLY. FOR 2-5 MINS I CONTINUED TO TRY TO CONTACT BAY APCH WITH NO RESULT. AT FIRST I COULD HEAR OTHER RADIO TFC, THEN ONLY SILENCE. WITH THE VOR NEEDLE CENTERED, I FELT CONFIDENT THAT I WAS ON COURSE AND NOT IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. AT SOME POINT, I LOOKED OUT A SIDE WINDOW AND REALIZED I WAS OVER THE BAY, 2-3 MI OFF COURSE. I TURNED L TO GET OUT OF CLASS B AND BACK ON COURSE. ON THE WAY BACK TO MY INTENDED COURSE, MY RADIO SEEMED TO START WORKING AGAIN. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN BY COINCIDENCE, OR A RESULT MY FLIPPING SWITCHES BACK AND FORTH, WORKING THE FREQ KNOBS BACK AND FORTH, JIGGLING CONNECTORS, ETC. I GOT A REPLY FROM BAY APCH AND CONTINUED THE REST OF MY INTENDED COURSE (SJC-HAF-CCR- SJC) WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LAST DIGIT OF VOR FREQ DISPLAY DEAD. POSSIBILITY OF WRONG FREQ SELECTED (BUT I DON'T THINK SO). #1 RADIO WOULDN'T XMIT (I WAS USING #2) COULD BE INDICATIVE OF LARGER PROB WITH THIS ACFT'S COM/NAV GEAR. DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I WAS XMITTING, BUT NOT RECEIVING COM OR NAV (HENCE DEAD VOR NEEDLE). AT THE POINT OF BEING HDOF, I MAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE WRONG FREQ, OR BAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN IGNORING ME. (WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME). I FAILED TO 'AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE,' I LET COM TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER NAV. LOST COM = STRESS. DID NOT REALIZE BOTH COM AND NAV WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY INOP, CONTINUED TO TRUST VOR NEEDLE.

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.

Navigation error by private pilot in an small aircraft during a night operation. Unauthorized penetration of class B airspace, proximity of approach route to sfo.