Pilot lost air ground communication and entered class C airspace prior to using a cellular phone to contact tower for clearance. Primary electrical supply problem.

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Attributes
ACN	316364
Time
Date	199509
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : boi
State Reference	ID
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : boi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 26
ASRS Report	316364
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was in the practice area south of boise monitoring departure control when I had problems with the bose headsets malfunctioning. While checking out the headsets the communication/navigation became erratic. Shortly thereafter I experienced partial electrical failure. I squawked 7600 and headed back to boise. I set up for and turned on to a right downwind (rocking my wings) for runway 10R. I saw 3 F4's sitting on runway 10R for takeoff so I broke out of the pattern to the south. During this maneuver I remembered boise is class C requiring radio contact. I also remembered I had a cellular phone in the back of the plane. I called tower and got permission to enter the pattern for a left base to runway 28L (runway changed after the F4 takeoff). The problem was my entering class C airspace without radio contact (there were no traffic conflicts as a result of my unannounced entry that I am aware of). Though I know the rules academically I didn't know them practically. I need to get in the books and think through the FARS in relation to various sits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOST AIR GND COM AND ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE PRIOR TO USING A CELLULAR PHONE TO CONTACT TWR FOR CLRNC. PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE PRACTICE AREA S OF BOISE MONITORING DEP CTL WHEN I HAD PROBS WITH THE BOSE HEADSETS MALFUNCTIONING. WHILE CHKING OUT THE HEADSETS THE COM/NAV BECAME ERRATIC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I EXPERIENCED PARTIAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I SQUAWKED 7600 AND HEADED BACK TO BOISE. I SET UP FOR AND TURNED ON TO A R DOWNWIND (ROCKING MY WINGS) FOR RWY 10R. I SAW 3 F4'S SITTING ON RWY 10R FOR TKOF SO I BROKE OUT OF THE PATTERN TO THE S. DURING THIS MANEUVER I REMEMBERED BOISE IS CLASS C REQUIRING RADIO CONTACT. I ALSO REMEMBERED I HAD A CELLULAR PHONE IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE. I CALLED TWR AND GOT PERMISSION TO ENTER THE PATTERN FOR A L BASE TO RWY 28L (RWY CHANGED AFTER THE F4 TKOF). THE PROB WAS MY ENTERING CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT (THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AS A RESULT OF MY UNANNOUNCED ENTRY THAT I AM AWARE OF). THOUGH I KNOW THE RULES ACADEMICALLY I DIDN'T KNOW THEM PRACTICALLY. I NEED TO GET IN THE BOOKS AND THINK THROUGH THE FARS IN RELATION TO VARIOUS SITS.

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.