Narrative:

Jun/xa/95 between the hours of XA00 am and XB00 am, after an IFR to VFR on top, I intended to transit the class B airspace through the los angeles special flight rules area at an altitude of 4500 ft nwbound for bakersfield. After canceling my clearance on top, 2500 ft, I proceeded on course, navigating on the 132 degree radial of santa monica VOR on frequency 110.8. I noted that the VOR appeared to be intermittent, even though the identify signal was strong. I set in the bottom VOR and it was worse. The LORAN C appeared to be working, so I set a course heading off it, and using my compass, proceeded nwbound. This was my only choice, since torrance was reporting 900 ft overcast and the VOR approach for runway 11L was in use. I could not return to torrance, and the surrounding airports were marginal VFR to IFR conditions. I was able to use the sli VOR and the lax VOR signals as cross radials. Perhaps the santa monica VOR was OTS. However, when I checked with FSS for WX prior to departing torrance, the only NAVAID reported OTS was the gmn VOR. After exiting the special flight rules area, while climbing to 4900 ft to be above the class C airspace of burbank and the class B airspace of the lax under 5000 ft, I lost my entire electrical system. I do not believe I violated any airspace, but I am writing this as a precautionary measure. I continued northbound landing VFR to repair the electrical, which was a loose wire on the avionics master which apparently shorted out my entire system. Possibly during the repair of the mode C portion of my altimeter, prior to departure, this wire was disturbed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated she was flying a grumman tiger 4 place by herself. Soon after she had climbed on top and canceled her IFR to proceed VFR, she lost her entire electrical system. She flew at such altitude and track so as to avoid the controled airspace as she navigated toward the hills and along the grape vine to the san joaquin valley airport that was not radio controled where she had the electrical system repaired. She did not have a hand held radio. She is a believer though now and says 'she will not leave home without it.' she is a flight instructor now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR SUSPECTS POSSIBILITY MAY HAVE STRAYED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE STRUGGLING WITH A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYS.

Narrative: JUN/XA/95 BTWN THE HRS OF XA00 AM AND XB00 AM, AFTER AN IFR TO VFR ON TOP, I INTENDED TO TRANSIT THE CLASS B AIRSPACE THROUGH THE LOS ANGELES SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA AT AN ALT OF 4500 FT NWBOUND FOR BAKERSFIELD. AFTER CANCELING MY CLRNC ON TOP, 2500 FT, I PROCEEDED ON COURSE, NAVING ON THE 132 DEG RADIAL OF SANTA MONICA VOR ON FREQ 110.8. I NOTED THAT THE VOR APPEARED TO BE INTERMITTENT, EVEN THOUGH THE IDENT SIGNAL WAS STRONG. I SET IN THE BOTTOM VOR AND IT WAS WORSE. THE LORAN C APPEARED TO BE WORKING, SO I SET A COURSE HDG OFF IT, AND USING MY COMPASS, PROCEEDED NWBOUND. THIS WAS MY ONLY CHOICE, SINCE TORRANCE WAS RPTING 900 FT OVCST AND THE VOR APCH FOR RWY 11L WAS IN USE. I COULD NOT RETURN TO TORRANCE, AND THE SURROUNDING ARPTS WERE MARGINAL VFR TO IFR CONDITIONS. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE SLI VOR AND THE LAX VOR SIGNALS AS CROSS RADIALS. PERHAPS THE SANTA MONICA VOR WAS OTS. HOWEVER, WHEN I CHKED WITH FSS FOR WX PRIOR TO DEPARTING TORRANCE, THE ONLY NAVAID RPTED OTS WAS THE GMN VOR. AFTER EXITING THE SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA, WHILE CLBING TO 4900 FT TO BE ABOVE THE CLASS C AIRSPACE OF BURBANK AND THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF THE LAX UNDER 5000 FT, I LOST MY ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYS. I DO NOT BELIEVE I VIOLATED ANY AIRSPACE, BUT I AM WRITING THIS AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. I CONTINUED NBOUND LNDG VFR TO REPAIR THE ELECTRICAL, WHICH WAS A LOOSE WIRE ON THE AVIONICS MASTER WHICH APPARENTLY SHORTED OUT MY ENTIRE SYS. POSSIBLY DURING THE REPAIR OF THE MODE C PORTION OF MY ALTIMETER, PRIOR TO DEP, THIS WIRE WAS DISTURBED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED SHE WAS FLYING A GRUMMAN TIGER 4 PLACE BY HERSELF. SOON AFTER SHE HAD CLBED ON TOP AND CANCELED HER IFR TO PROCEED VFR, SHE LOST HER ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYS. SHE FLEW AT SUCH ALT AND TRACK SO AS TO AVOID THE CTLED AIRSPACE AS SHE NAVIGATED TOWARD THE HILLS AND ALONG THE GRAPE VINE TO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ARPT THAT WAS NOT RADIO CTLED WHERE SHE HAD THE ELECTRICAL SYS REPAIRED. SHE DID NOT HAVE A HAND HELD RADIO. SHE IS A BELIEVER THOUGH NOW AND SAYS 'SHE WILL NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.' SHE IS A FLT INSTRUCTOR NOW.

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.