Non instrument rated private pilot of a C210 became lost after his GPS navigation radio quit working...

Attributes
ACN	422519
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 630 flight time type : 28
ASRS Report	422519
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On dec/xa/98 I flew my cessna 210 centurion VFR from marine city airport (76G) to waukegan regional airport (ugn). I flew direct from 76G to pullman VOR (112.1). Just prior to reaching pullman VOR I asked kalamazoo approach (119.2) for an altitude change to 8500 ft MSL for lake michigan crossing. Kalamazoo approved change to 8500 ft and gave me a transponder code of XXXX to squawk. Kalamazoo approach turned me over to ZAU on 128.5 who I contacted and told my n-number, altitude and destination. A short time later, ZAU turned me over to ZAU on 133.2. During flight across lake michigan my GPS quit working. I don't know why. It is currently in the radio shop. I decided to tune in the kenosha VOR on 109.2. I maintained a compass heading of 270 degrees and was on the 130 degree radial from the kenosha VOR. At approximately 25 mi out I contacted waukegan tower on 120.05 and told them I was 25 mi east inbound for landing. Waukegan tower said left base for runway 23 report 2 mi final. Upon descent, I experienced a layer of fog or smog between 6500-5000 ft MSL. When I broke out I could see the city of chicago approximately 30 mi south and ord airport approximately 11 mi ahead. Realizing I was off course and in class B airspace, I immediately turned right to a compass heading of 360 degrees and flew up the coastline while continuing my descent. I immediately contacted waukegan tower and told them I was disoriented and off course. They told me to contact ZAU on 133.2. ZAU told me to immediately descend to 2500 ft and that I was in class B airspace. ZAU then gave me a compass heading and distance to waukegan regional. I landed at waukegan and was told by tower to call ZAU, they wanted to talk to me. I called ZAU and explained what had happened. They took my aircraft n-number and my name. I know what class B airspace is, and also know enough not to enter without a clearance. I question why ZAU or waukegan didn't tell me I was off course and in danger of infringing on class B airspace. I sincerely apologize for what happened and feel fortunate no one was injured. P.south. At no time was visibility less than 3 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON INST RATED PVT PLT OF A C210 BECAME LOST AFTER HIS GPS NAV RADIO QUIT WORKING RESULTING IN PENETRATING CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON DEC/XA/98 I FLEW MY CESSNA 210 CENTURION VFR FROM MARINE CITY ARPT (76G) TO WAUKEGAN REGIONAL ARPT (UGN). I FLEW DIRECT FROM 76G TO PULLMAN VOR (112.1). JUST PRIOR TO REACHING PULLMAN VOR I ASKED KALAMAZOO APCH (119.2) FOR AN ALT CHANGE TO 8500 FT MSL FOR LAKE MICHIGAN CROSSING. KALAMAZOO APPROVED CHANGE TO 8500 FT AND GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE OF XXXX TO SQUAWK. KALAMAZOO APCH TURNED ME OVER TO ZAU ON 128.5 WHO I CONTACTED AND TOLD MY N-NUMBER, ALT AND DEST. A SHORT TIME LATER, ZAU TURNED ME OVER TO ZAU ON 133.2. DURING FLT ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN MY GPS QUIT WORKING. I DON'T KNOW WHY. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE RADIO SHOP. I DECIDED TO TUNE IN THE KENOSHA VOR ON 109.2. I MAINTAINED A COMPASS HDG OF 270 DEGS AND WAS ON THE 130 DEG RADIAL FROM THE KENOSHA VOR. AT APPROX 25 MI OUT I CONTACTED WAUKEGAN TWR ON 120.05 AND TOLD THEM I WAS 25 MI E INBOUND FOR LNDG. WAUKEGAN TWR SAID L BASE FOR RWY 23 RPT 2 MI FINAL. UPON DSCNT, I EXPERIENCED A LAYER OF FOG OR SMOG BTWN 6500-5000 FT MSL. WHEN I BROKE OUT I COULD SEE THE CITY OF CHICAGO APPROX 30 MI S AND ORD ARPT APPROX 11 MI AHEAD. REALIZING I WAS OFF COURSE AND IN CLASS B AIRSPACE, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED R TO A COMPASS HDG OF 360 DEGS AND FLEW UP THE COASTLINE WHILE CONTINUING MY DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED WAUKEGAN TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS DISORIENTED AND OFF COURSE. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT ZAU ON 133.2. ZAU TOLD ME TO IMMEDIATELY DSND TO 2500 FT AND THAT I WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. ZAU THEN GAVE ME A COMPASS HDG AND DISTANCE TO WAUKEGAN REGIONAL. I LANDED AT WAUKEGAN AND WAS TOLD BY TWR TO CALL ZAU, THEY WANTED TO TALK TO ME. I CALLED ZAU AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY TOOK MY ACFT N-NUMBER AND MY NAME. I KNOW WHAT CLASS B AIRSPACE IS, AND ALSO KNOW ENOUGH NOT TO ENTER WITHOUT A CLRNC. I QUESTION WHY ZAU OR WAUKEGAN DIDN'T TELL ME I WAS OFF COURSE AND IN DANGER OF INFRINGING ON CLASS B AIRSPACE. I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND FEEL FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS INJURED. P.S. AT NO TIME WAS VISIBILITY LESS THAN 3 MI.

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.

Non instrument rated private pilot of a C210 became lost after his GPS navigation radio quit working resulting in penetrating class B airspace.