Narrative:

Problem caused by massive radio failure, including communication radios and navigation radios. On jan/xx/95 finished replacement of all radios. Recently purchased aircraft. On feb/xx/95 flew aircraft from sjc to sql. Checked all radios and navs. All ok. On feb/xx/95 decided to go for a flight at night. Called automatic WX reporting system. Called for VFR, however, report was old. Since I am instrument rated, I wasn't too worried. Sql ATIS was VFR. I took off sql northbound to overfly sfo, to sau. Called center, received squawk entered cloud layer inadvertently, climbed through it on top of layer. I noticed very bad reception of ATC and noticed all VOR flags off, tuned on sfo VOR, dead too checked for audio on vors, they were working, but no reception. I noticed 30 degrees off on directional gyroscope compared to compass. Called center, no answer, on radio #2. The transmitter did not engage when keyed on communication #1 my voice sounded garbled. After switching and trying, I got communication 1 to transmit, with reception on communication ii (bad reception). I communicated my plight to ATC. I was not sure if they cleared me in class B. No navigation was operating, I had no idea of my precise location. (I did have a battery operated GPS with me, however, which I turned on now) ATC told me all was IFR in bay area, proposed ASR approach into sfo, or see if livermore was VFR. Vectored to livermore, which was marginal, but completed landing. Cause: inadequate WX briefing, too heavy IFR for unproven and inadequately checked radio installation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT DURING A NIGHT OP ALLOWS PVT PLT TO MAKE AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: PROB CAUSED BY MASSIVE RADIO FAILURE, INCLUDING COM RADIOS AND NAV RADIOS. ON JAN/XX/95 FINISHED REPLACEMENT OF ALL RADIOS. RECENTLY PURCHASED ACFT. ON FEB/XX/95 FLEW ACFT FROM SJC TO SQL. CHKED ALL RADIOS AND NAVS. ALL OK. ON FEB/XX/95 DECIDED TO GO FOR A FLT AT NIGHT. CALLED AUTOMATIC WX RPTING SYS. CALLED FOR VFR, HOWEVER, RPT WAS OLD. SINCE I AM INST RATED, I WASN'T TOO WORRIED. SQL ATIS WAS VFR. I TOOK OFF SQL NBOUND TO OVERFLY SFO, TO SAU. CALLED CTR, RECEIVED SQUAWK ENTERED CLOUD LAYER INADVERTENTLY, CLBED THROUGH IT ON TOP OF LAYER. I NOTICED VERY BAD RECEPTION OF ATC AND NOTICED ALL VOR FLAGS OFF, TUNED ON SFO VOR, DEAD TOO CHKED FOR AUDIO ON VORS, THEY WERE WORKING, BUT NO RECEPTION. I NOTICED 30 DEGS OFF ON DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE COMPARED TO COMPASS. CALLED CTR, NO ANSWER, ON RADIO #2. THE XMITTER DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN KEYED ON COM #1 MY VOICE SOUNDED GARBLED. AFTER SWITCHING AND TRYING, I GOT COM 1 TO XMIT, WITH RECEPTION ON COM II (BAD RECEPTION). I COMMUNICATED MY PLIGHT TO ATC. I WAS NOT SURE IF THEY CLRED ME IN CLASS B. NO NAV WAS OPERATING, I HAD NO IDEA OF MY PRECISE LOCATION. (I DID HAVE A BATTERY OPERATED GPS WITH ME, HOWEVER, WHICH I TURNED ON NOW) ATC TOLD ME ALL WAS IFR IN BAY AREA, PROPOSED ASR APCH INTO SFO, OR SEE IF LIVERMORE WAS VFR. VECTORED TO LIVERMORE, WHICH WAS MARGINAL, BUT COMPLETED LNDG. CAUSE: INADEQUATE WX BRIEFING, TOO HVY IFR FOR UNPROVEN AND INADEQUATELY CHKED RADIO INSTALLATION.

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.