Narrative:

I departed ZZZ airport for a local flight under far 91 visual flight rules (VFR), at approximately 5-8 mi east of the airport, ATC called me and asked me to recycle my transponder. I acknowledged the call and recycled. During this time, there is a national alert for restr flts into any power plants. A second call was received from ATC approximately 1 min later asked me to recycle my transponder again. I proceeded with the request and told her I was still at a low altitude and that I needed to climb for better reception. During this time I was distracted by the transponder problem and the WX condition around the area. My flight plan was to fly east, then southeast in order to clear the 10 mi limit placed at YYY plant which is approximately 15 mi southeast of the airport. A third call was received from ATC asking if I was aware of the distance limit from YYY I told her I was aware of the 10 mi limit. She did not respond back with any comments. I assumed the transponder problem was corrected and resumed with the flight. Upon clearance to land at ZZZ, I was told to contact ZZZ approach. ZZZ approach told me I was flying without mode C, that I had penetrated restr area at YYY. I feel contributing factors are: 1) distraction with troubleshooting transponder problem. 2) WX condition limiting air to ground visibility due to low cloud coverage, unable to locate landmarks for reference therefore creating error in distance judgement. 3) lack of feedback from ATC that could have prevented the problem. During all this time I was monitoring ATC frequency and ATIS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT PLT VIOLATED A TFR INVOLVING A PWR PLANT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT FOR A LOCAL FLT UNDER FAR 91 VISUAL FLT RULES (VFR), AT APPROX 5-8 MI E OF THE ARPT, ATC CALLED ME AND ASKED ME TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL AND RECYCLED. DURING THIS TIME, THERE IS A NATIONAL ALERT FOR RESTR FLTS INTO ANY PWR PLANTS. A SECOND CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC APPROX 1 MIN LATER ASKED ME TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER AGAIN. I PROCEEDED WITH THE REQUEST AND TOLD HER I WAS STILL AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND THAT I NEEDED TO CLIMB FOR BETTER RECEPTION. DURING THIS TIME I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE XPONDER PROB AND THE WX CONDITION AROUND THE AREA. MY FLT PLAN WAS TO FLY E, THEN SE IN ORDER TO CLR THE 10 MI LIMIT PLACED AT YYY PLANT WHICH IS APPROX 15 MI SE OF THE ARPT. A THIRD CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC ASKING IF I WAS AWARE OF THE DISTANCE LIMIT FROM YYY I TOLD HER I WAS AWARE OF THE 10 MI LIMIT. SHE DID NOT RESPOND BACK WITH ANY COMMENTS. I ASSUMED THE XPONDER PROB WAS CORRECTED AND RESUMED WITH THE FLT. UPON CLRNC TO LAND AT ZZZ, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT ZZZ APCH. ZZZ APCH TOLD ME I WAS FLYING WITHOUT MODE C, THAT I HAD PENETRATED RESTR AREA AT YYY. I FEEL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE: 1) DISTRACTION WITH TROUBLESHOOTING XPONDER PROB. 2) WX CONDITION LIMITING AIR TO GND VISIBILITY DUE TO LOW CLOUD COVERAGE, UNABLE TO LOCATE LANDMARKS FOR REFERENCE THEREFORE CREATING ERROR IN DISTANCE JUDGEMENT. 3) LACK OF FEEDBACK FROM ATC THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB. DURING ALL THIS TIME I WAS MONITORING ATC FREQ AND ATIS.

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.