Narrative:

I was plting a VFR only 1956 C172 on a vacation flight from hillcrest airport (private) in fort worth to beatrice, northeast (bie). Approximately 30 mi south of ict we encountered low level scud below us. Not wanting to fly this aircraft 'on top' I contacted FSS and was advised that a detour of 50 mi to the west and 100 mi or less to the north would avoid the low ceiling/visibility area. I deviated and the WX was exactly as forecast. During the circumnav part of the flight we experienced a total electrical failure and because of the scattered clouds below us I was not able to pinpoint my position exactly on the sectional chart. I eventually got the electrical system back on line and realized I was very near sln and R-3601. I contacted sln tower and gave them my approximately position southwest of sln. His only comment was to report abeam sln. A short time later, probably 3-4 mins he requested I make a turn to 090 degrees for the restr area. I immediately complied, and less than 2 mins later he advised I could continue on course. 4 mins or so following that, sln requested the pilot's name, home base, and phone number and advised I had flown 3 mi into the restr area. A portable moving map GPS would easily have avoided this situation. I had planned the route before hand and made sure I would not be flying into any tfr's or MOA's, however I did not plan for nor expect the deviation. I should have checked the area further out from my planned course to prepare for any unexpected deviations, this would have given me more time to avoid R-3601.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF OLDER MODEL C172 EXPERIENCES COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DEVIATING AROUND AN UNDERCAST. WHILE WITHOUT ELECTRONIC NAV CAPABILITY ENTERS R-3601 NEAR SLN.

Narrative: I WAS PLTING A VFR ONLY 1956 C172 ON A VACATION FLT FROM HILLCREST ARPT (PVT) IN FORT WORTH TO BEATRICE, NE (BIE). APPROX 30 MI S OF ICT WE ENCOUNTERED LOW LEVEL SCUD BELOW US. NOT WANTING TO FLY THIS ACFT 'ON TOP' I CONTACTED FSS AND WAS ADVISED THAT A DETOUR OF 50 MI TO THE W AND 100 MI OR LESS TO THE N WOULD AVOID THE LOW CEILING/VISIBILITY AREA. I DEVIATED AND THE WX WAS EXACTLY AS FORECAST. DURING THE CIRCUMNAV PART OF THE FLT WE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND BECAUSE OF THE SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW US I WAS NOT ABLE TO PINPOINT MY POS EXACTLY ON THE SECTIONAL CHART. I EVENTUALLY GOT THE ELECTRICAL SYS BACK ON LINE AND REALIZED I WAS VERY NEAR SLN AND R-3601. I CONTACTED SLN TWR AND GAVE THEM MY APPROX POS SW OF SLN. HIS ONLY COMMENT WAS TO RPT ABEAM SLN. A SHORT TIME LATER, PROBABLY 3-4 MINS HE REQUESTED I MAKE A TURN TO 090 DEGS FOR THE RESTR AREA. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED, AND LESS THAN 2 MINS LATER HE ADVISED I COULD CONTINUE ON COURSE. 4 MINS OR SO FOLLOWING THAT, SLN REQUESTED THE PLT'S NAME, HOME BASE, AND PHONE NUMBER AND ADVISED I HAD FLOWN 3 MI INTO THE RESTR AREA. A PORTABLE MOVING MAP GPS WOULD EASILY HAVE AVOIDED THIS SIT. I HAD PLANNED THE RTE BEFORE HAND AND MADE SURE I WOULD NOT BE FLYING INTO ANY TFR'S OR MOA'S, HOWEVER I DID NOT PLAN FOR NOR EXPECT THE DEV. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE AREA FURTHER OUT FROM MY PLANNED COURSE TO PREPARE FOR ANY UNEXPECTED DEVS, THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME MORE TIME TO AVOID R-3601.

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.