Narrative:

Flying VFR from pne to bdr via col, jfk vors, using GPS navigation, at 5500 ft. Prior to entering nyc class B airspace, I contacted ny approach, requested and received clearance into the nyc class B airspace. Shortly after entering the class B, I experienced a problem with the electric trim on the TB20, indicated by a continuous illumination of the trim light and a very effective (real distracting) audible warning. Naturally, it was at this time that ny requested a frequency change and routing change. I failed to comply with the controller's request for 3 reasons: 1) the trim problem. It should be noted I had a total of 3.5 hours PIC in this make and model at the time of the trim problem. Fortunately, I had spent a fair portion of my familiarity with flight learning the kfc-150 and its electric trim, but it still took me several mins to determine what was wrong -- couldn't maintain altitude, isolate the problem, find the autoplt disconnect power switch, manually unjam the trim wheel, etc. During this time, I was requested to change frequency and proceed direct to what I now believe was canarsie VOR. After the 3RD request, I was able to determine the frequency to switch to and was given a heading vector in place of the direct cri clearance. (Note: at this point I was no longer fighting the trim and the audible alarm had been silenced.) contributing factor #2: the controller's ny accent. Although I have lived in the ny area for approximately 8 yrs now, I still have a problem with some of the pronunciations in these parts. Contributing factor #3: as this was a day VFR flight, I did not have a low altitude en route chart open to this section of airspace and I was too distraction fighting the trim and trying to hear which frequency and facility (I am now sure it was cri) to more than glance at the ny sectional in the right seat. Also, while I learned to fly in this area, I was unfamiliar with cri and it is difficult to spot on the chart. I do not think at any time I created a hazardous environment, however, I fully appreciate the inconvenience and increased workload my failure to switch frequency upon 1ST request and proceed direct to cri may have caused. However, but for the trim/kfc-150 autoplt malfunction at this inopportune time, I have no doubt I would have at worst simply needed a clarification on the first request to have complied with the controller's request. Lessons learned: 1) better system knowledge, 2) keep low altitude chart open even VFR in class B airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TRANSITING NEW YORK CLASS B WITH N90 APCH CTL, TRIN (TB20) PLT HAS ELECTRIC TRIM MALFUNCTION CAUSING HEADING AND ALTDEVS.

Narrative: FLYING VFR FROM PNE TO BDR VIA COL, JFK VORS, USING GPS NAV, AT 5500 FT. PRIOR TO ENTERING NYC CLASS B AIRSPACE, I CONTACTED NY APCH, REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC INTO THE NYC CLASS B AIRSPACE. SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING THE CLASS B, I EXPERIENCED A PROB WITH THE ELECTRIC TRIM ON THE TB20, INDICATED BY A CONTINUOUS ILLUMINATION OF THE TRIM LIGHT AND A VERY EFFECTIVE (REAL DISTRACTING) AUDIBLE WARNING. NATURALLY, IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT NY REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE AND ROUTING CHANGE. I FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE CTLR'S REQUEST FOR 3 REASONS: 1) THE TRIM PROB. IT SHOULD BE NOTED I HAD A TOTAL OF 3.5 HRS PIC IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AT THE TIME OF THE TRIM PROB. FORTUNATELY, I HAD SPENT A FAIR PORTION OF MY FAMILIARITY WITH FLT LEARNING THE KFC-150 AND ITS ELECTRIC TRIM, BUT IT STILL TOOK ME SEVERAL MINS TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG -- COULDN'T MAINTAIN ALT, ISOLATE THE PROB, FIND THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT PWR SWITCH, MANUALLY UNJAM THE TRIM WHEEL, ETC. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS REQUESTED TO CHANGE FREQ AND PROCEED DIRECT TO WHAT I NOW BELIEVE WAS CANARSIE VOR. AFTER THE 3RD REQUEST, I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE FREQ TO SWITCH TO AND WAS GIVEN A HEADING VECTOR IN PLACE OF THE DIRECT CRI CLRNC. (NOTE: AT THIS POINT I WAS NO LONGER FIGHTING THE TRIM AND THE AUDIBLE ALARM HAD BEEN SILENCED.) CONTRIBUTING FACTOR #2: THE CTLR'S NY ACCENT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE LIVED IN THE NY AREA FOR APPROX 8 YRS NOW, I STILL HAVE A PROB WITH SOME OF THE PRONUNCIATIONS IN THESE PARTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR #3: AS THIS WAS A DAY VFR FLT, I DID NOT HAVE A LOW ALT ENRTE CHART OPEN TO THIS SECTION OF AIRSPACE AND I WAS TOO DISTR FIGHTING THE TRIM AND TRYING TO HEAR WHICH FREQ AND FACILITY (I AM NOW SURE IT WAS CRI) TO MORE THAN GLANCE AT THE NY SECTIONAL IN THE R SEAT. ALSO, WHILE I LEARNED TO FLY IN THIS AREA, I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH CRI AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SPOT ON THE CHART. I DO NOT THINK AT ANY TIME I CREATED A HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT, HOWEVER, I FULLY APPRECIATE THE INCONVENIENCE AND INCREASED WORKLOAD MY FAILURE TO SWITCH FREQ UPON 1ST REQUEST AND PROCEED DIRECT TO CRI MAY HAVE CAUSED. HOWEVER, BUT FOR THE TRIM/KFC-150 AUTOPLT MALFUNCTION AT THIS INOPPORTUNE TIME, I HAVE NO DOUBT I WOULD HAVE AT WORST SIMPLY NEEDED A CLARIFICATION ON THE FIRST REQUEST TO HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE CTLR'S REQUEST. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) BETTER SYS KNOWLEDGE, 2) KEEP LOW ALT CHART OPEN EVEN VFR IN CLASS B AIRSPACE.

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.