Small aircraft has altitude deviation and equipment problem during transition of class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	296200
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cxo
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tower : dab
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	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28
ASRS Report	296200
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Over flying houston class B air space, GPS stopped tracking and LORAN signaled unreliable. I went to pltage, (first time in this part of the country). I became too engrossed in looking for other aircraft and pltage navigation and neglected altitude control. I climbed to 8200 ft before I noted my change in altitude and at that time I made a rapid descent to 7500 ft. I received no further radio communication from houston approach. I attempted to contact houston, but the reply was from lake charles approach, who informed I was talking to lake charles and he had me on radar. I landed at lafayette where the tower asked me to call houston. I called houston spoke with a supervisor who asked if I was having problems and said he had tried to contact me. Neither my passenger or I heard him call. I explained my problem to him. The controller said he was concerned and said I should have someone look at my radios. I assured him that I would.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ALTDEV AND EQUIP PROB DURING TRANSITION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: OVER FLYING HOUSTON CLASS B AIR SPACE, GPS STOPPED TRACKING AND LORAN SIGNALED UNRELIABLE. I WENT TO PLTAGE, (FIRST TIME IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY). I BECAME TOO ENGROSSED IN LOOKING FOR OTHER ACFT AND PLTAGE NAV AND NEGLECTED ALT CTL. I CLBED TO 8200 FT BEFORE I NOTED MY CHANGE IN ALT AND AT THAT TIME I MADE A RAPID DSCNT TO 7500 FT. I RECEIVED NO FURTHER RADIO COM FROM HOUSTON APCH. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT HOUSTON, BUT THE REPLY WAS FROM LAKE CHARLES APCH, WHO INFORMED I WAS TALKING TO LAKE CHARLES AND HE HAD ME ON RADAR. I LANDED AT LAFAYETTE WHERE THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL HOUSTON. I CALLED HOUSTON SPOKE WITH A SUPVR WHO ASKED IF I WAS HAVING PROBS AND SAID HE HAD TRIED TO CONTACT ME. NEITHER MY PAX OR I HEARD HIM CALL. I EXPLAINED MY PROB TO HIM. THE CTLR SAID HE WAS CONCERNED AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE LOOK AT MY RADIOS. I ASSURED HIM THAT I WOULD.

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.