Small aircraft pilot has difficulty in making approach due to failure of ADF receiver and in-flight encounter with WX.

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Attributes
ACN	123005
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n67
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 302 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : circling approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 796 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	123005
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was cleared from ambler beacon, direct pottstown VOR, direct wilkes barre-scranton airport, to meet ground transportation. Cargo consisted of transplantable eye and kidney tissue. My return to wings was a problem as I lost my ADF, making ncb approach impossible without the assistance of philadelphia ATC. Having attempted 3 missed apches as published from 1900' to 3000', the final and successful attempt consisted of direct pottstown VOR, course reversal and backtrack on 123 degree radial to ambler beacon at 3000' and radar vectors. Once beacon was reached the inbnd heading of 064 degrees was flown reducing altitude to 1900' and then to 1020' as directed for a period of 4 mins at 90 KTS. Xchking with northeast VOR was a great aid as the runway became visible in the 12 O'clock position. A VFR landing was made on runway 06 uneventfully. I might add that the pattern had 2 other aircraft as told to me by philadelphia ATC, however, on landing and circling the pattern several times, I never had a visual on either aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS DIFFICULTY IN MAKING APCH DUE TO FAILURE OF ADF RECEIVER AND INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH WX.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED FROM AMBLER BEACON, DIRECT POTTSTOWN VOR, DIRECT WILKES BARRE-SCRANTON ARPT, TO MEET GND TRANSPORTATION. CARGO CONSISTED OF TRANSPLANTABLE EYE AND KIDNEY TISSUE. MY RETURN TO WINGS WAS A PROBLEM AS I LOST MY ADF, MAKING NCB APCH IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF PHILADELPHIA ATC. HAVING ATTEMPTED 3 MISSED APCHES AS PUBLISHED FROM 1900' TO 3000', THE FINAL AND SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT CONSISTED OF DIRECT POTTSTOWN VOR, COURSE REVERSAL AND BACKTRACK ON 123 DEG RADIAL TO AMBLER BEACON AT 3000' AND RADAR VECTORS. ONCE BEACON WAS REACHED THE inbnd HDG OF 064 DEGS WAS FLOWN REDUCING ALT TO 1900' AND THEN TO 1020' AS DIRECTED FOR A PERIOD OF 4 MINS AT 90 KTS. XCHKING WITH NE VOR WAS A GREAT AID AS THE RWY BECAME VISIBLE IN THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION. A VFR LNDG WAS MADE ON RWY 06 UNEVENTFULLY. I MIGHT ADD THAT THE PATTERN HAD 2 OTHER ACFT AS TOLD TO ME BY PHILADELPHIA ATC, HOWEVER, ON LNDG AND CIRCLING THE PATTERN SEVERAL TIMES, I NEVER HAD A VISUAL ON EITHER ACFT.

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.