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

Date: 1998-12 · Aircraft: Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-unspecified|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

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.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.