Small aircraft has push to talk switch problem and flies into restricted area while troubleshooting.

Attributes
ACN	238299
Time
Date	199304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tix airport : 34j
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cof
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44 flight time total : 3996 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	238299
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to ft lauderdale from 34J, push to talk switch failed. ATC could not understand me on spare microphone. When trying to repair push to talk switch, followed shore line instead of indian river east shore because of poor ground contact over broken deck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS PUSH TO TALK SWITCH PROB AND FLIES INTO RESTRICTED AREA WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING.

Narrative: ENRTE TO FT LAUDERDALE FROM 34J, PUSH TO TALK SWITCH FAILED. ATC COULD NOT UNDERSTAND ME ON SPARE MIKE. WHEN TRYING TO REPAIR PUSH TO TALK SWITCH, FOLLOWED SHORE LINE INSTEAD OF INDIAN RIVER E SHORE BECAUSE OF POOR GND CONTACT OVER BROKEN DECK.

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.