Penetration of TCA due to disorientation.

Attributes
ACN	104275
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 80 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	104275
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a cross country flight, coming back to meacham from bridgeport and looking for highway 35 at denton meacham the left fuel tank gauge indicated empty. I did not pay attention to my navigation any longer because I was too absorbed by one of the 2 fuel gauges showing empty so I lost my position and visibility references but thought that I was too close to the dallas TCA. So in order to avoid any conflict I contacted ftw FSS on frequency 122.6. They told me to call dallas center and gave me the frequency. I called and began to descend to 2500' in order to avoid flying in the TCA. The controller told me to squawk 0405 and asked me to identify several times. I complied but he couldn't receive my transponder signal until I was 12 mi north of dfw. I maintained an eastward heading, and saw on my right a beacon, and as the controller couldn't receive my signal again I informed him I did not have too much fuel and proceeded southbound to red bird. After landing I closed the flight plan with FSS. I believe I may have flown involuntarily in the TCA of dfw. I also believe this situation occurred because trying to figure out and solve my fuel tank problem I lost my concentration and did not use VOR procedures properly, and also I should have checked the transponder before leaving my departure airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states has brand new private certificate and on pleasure flight. Became so concerned with fuel gauges he paid no attention to navigation until totally disoriented. Landed at first small airport where he saw a beacon. Landed west/O contact as he did not know what airport it was. Called tower and idented himself as having just landed and apologized. Stayed overnight and returned home next day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATION OF TCA DUE TO DISORIENTATION.

Narrative: DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLT, COMING BACK TO MEACHAM FROM BRIDGEPORT AND LOOKING FOR HWY 35 AT DENTON MEACHAM THE LEFT FUEL TANK GAUGE INDICATED EMPTY. I DID NOT PAY ATTN TO MY NAV ANY LONGER BECAUSE I WAS TOO ABSORBED BY ONE OF THE 2 FUEL GAUGES SHOWING EMPTY SO I LOST MY POS AND VIS REFERENCES BUT THOUGHT THAT I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE DALLAS TCA. SO IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT I CONTACTED FTW FSS ON FREQ 122.6. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL DALLAS CENTER AND GAVE ME THE FREQ. I CALLED AND BEGAN TO DSND TO 2500' IN ORDER TO AVOID FLYING IN THE TCA. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 0405 AND ASKED ME TO IDENT SEVERAL TIMES. I COMPLIED BUT HE COULDN'T RECEIVE MY XPONDER SIGNAL UNTIL I WAS 12 MI N OF DFW. I MAINTAINED AN EASTWARD HDG, AND SAW ON MY RIGHT A BEACON, AND AS THE CTLR COULDN'T RECEIVE MY SIGNAL AGAIN I INFORMED HIM I DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH FUEL AND PROCEEDED SBND TO RED BIRD. AFTER LNDG I CLOSED THE FLT PLAN WITH FSS. I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE FLOWN INVOLUNTARILY IN THE TCA OF DFW. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND SOLVE MY FUEL TANK PROB I LOST MY CONCENTRATION AND DID NOT USE VOR PROCS PROPERLY, AND ALSO I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE XPONDER BEFORE LEAVING MY DEP ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HAS BRAND NEW PVT CERTIFICATE AND ON PLEASURE FLT. BECAME SO CONCERNED WITH FUEL GAUGES HE PAID NO ATTN TO NAV UNTIL TOTALLY DISORIENTED. LANDED AT FIRST SMALL ARPT WHERE HE SAW A BEACON. LANDED W/O CONTACT AS HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT ARPT IT WAS. CALLED TWR AND IDENTED HIMSELF AS HAVING JUST LANDED AND APOLOGIZED. STAYED OVERNIGHT AND RETURNED HOME NEXT DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.