SMA HAS LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND ENTERS CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING SOLO ALONG THE SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN; ABOUT 25 NM NE OF SOUTH BEND; IN; (SBN) AND OUTSIDE OF THEIR CLASS C AIRSPACE; WHEN I WAS TOLD 'RADAR CONTACT'. USUALLY; AS I APCH MICHIGAN CITY; IN; (WBOUND) SBN WILL CANCEL RADAR COVERAGE AND FREE ME TO GET READY TO CALL GARY TWR (GYY-125.6); AND ABOUT 30 NM. THIS MAGNIFICENT CLR; FRESH DAY I CROSSED THE W OF MICHIGAN CITY WITHOUT THAT CALL; SO I CALLED SBN TO REQUEST A FREQ CHANGE; BUT I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I COULD HEAR THAT THEY WERE RATHER BUSY SO I FIGURED THAT I HAD JUST SLIPPED OFF THEIR SCREEN. (NOW I THINK MY RADIO WAS DYING/DEAD AND THEY DID NOT HEAR ME. BUT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY; WHY WHO WOULD THINK OF PROBS; NO PROB.) I WAS ABOUT 20 MI E OF GYY AND MONITORING THEIR FREQ. A COUPLE OF PLTS CALLED IN THE NEXT FEW MINS AND I LISTENED IN WHILE MARVELING AT THE GLORIOUS DAY IT WAS AND ENJOYED THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE LAKESHORE MAJESTICALLY CURVING AROUND INTO CHICAGO (MY HOME TOWN). I COULD SEE THE OH SO FAMILIAR SKYLINE; AH; YES; WHAT A DAY; AS I DRONED TOWARD GARY. I USUALLY CALL THEM 20-25 MI OUT TO GET ON TO THEIR SCREEN; BUT TODAY; WHAT'S THE HURRY. SO; FINALLY AT ABOUT 10 NM OUT I CALL GYY; NO RESPONSE. IT WAS A MIN; SOMEONE ELSE COMES ON; I CALL AGAIN; NO RESPONSE. AGAIN; NOTHING. ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULD SEE RWY 30 RUSHING TOWARD ME 8; 7; 6 MI OUT. I CALLED AGAIN; GAVE A POS RPT AND ASKED FOR LNDG INSTRUCTION; NOTHING. FINALLY; THE LIGHT BULB SWITCHED ON IN MY LULLABIED BRAIN; I WAS NOT GOING TO GET ANY RESPONSE; OH BOY; AND I HAD BETTER DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. (HAVING BEEN MONITORING THE FREQ; I WAS AWARE OF ANY TFC; THERE WAS NONE.) I TURNED N OVER THE LAKE TO STAY CLR OF GYY'S D SPACE. I HEARD TWR -- WAS THAT FOR ME -- I MIKED; NO RESPONSE. I CLBED TO ABOUT 3100 TO 3200 FT TO STAY CLR OF THE PATTERN; TURNED TO THE W; FLEW AROUND AND AWAY FROM GYY AND WENT OVER TO LANSING; IL (UNCTLED). ION THE PATTERN; IT ALL BECAME AS CLR AS THE VISIBILITY. NO FLAPS; NO ELECTRICAL PWR. I FREELY ADMIT THAT I WAS LULLED INTO COMPLACENCY BY THE BEAUTIFUL; SUNNY SEE- FOREVER DAY; AND MY CLR COM MINS EARLIER WITH SBN; AND WITH MY CLR MONITORING OF GYY. I WAITED TOO LONG TO TAKE ACTION AND I POSSIBLY ENTERED GYY'S D SPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. SURELY TO ENJOY THE SPLENDOR OF NATURE FROM THE COCKPIT OF A SMALL AIRPLANE IS ONE OF THE JOYS OF FLYING AND LIFE; BUT; AS PIC; ONE MUST ALWAYS STAY VIGILANT FOR AND CONSCIOUS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE UNEXPECTED. THE GREMLINS ARE OUT TO GETCHA EVEN ON A SUNNY DAY.