Narrative:

Was en route going in southwest direct on VFR flight. Radio malfunctioned, was unable to communicate with FSS, etc and navigation by VOR became unreliable. Evidently got off course by following erroneous indications. Also encountered very strong xwing from east and compass became erratic. Became aware of problem when chkpoint didn't show up as expected according to VOR, heading, time, etc from last fix. Therefore not sure of exact location when problem occurred and when I became aware of same. Problem was intensified by the strong crosswind, remoteness of area with few really distinguishable landmarks and night conditions. Was unable to reach FSS by radio for WX update to destination and uncertain as to navigation capabilities of equipment. Made decision to alter course which was toward vld to the northwest. Present WX was good and it would be hard to miss vld with interstate highway and lights from city. Was less than hour from destination when problem occurred and from human standpoint would rather make destination than alter course. However, under the circumstances, safety of flight dictated that it should be terminated at vld in good VMC conditions. Altered course, exercised extreme vigilance and caution en route, and landed at vld. This presented no problem west/O radio communication capability since tower is closed from XX00 fri until mon morning. Took off in good VMC conditions the following morning and completed flight to destination. May have unknowingly and unintentionally deviated from FAA recommended operating practices/rules/far's from time of occurrence until flight was completed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY PLEASURE FLT SMA NAVIGATION RADIOS INOPERATIVE, SO PLT DIVERTED TO A FAMILIAR ALTERNATE.

Narrative: WAS ENRTE GOING IN SW DIRECT ON VFR FLT. RADIO MALFUNCTIONED, WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH FSS, ETC AND NAV BY VOR BECAME UNRELIABLE. EVIDENTLY GOT OFF COURSE BY FOLLOWING ERRONEOUS INDICATIONS. ALSO ENCOUNTERED VERY STRONG XWING FROM E AND COMPASS BECAME ERRATIC. BECAME AWARE OF PROB WHEN CHKPOINT DIDN'T SHOW UP AS EXPECTED ACCORDING TO VOR, HDG, TIME, ETC FROM LAST FIX. THEREFORE NOT SURE OF EXACT LOCATION WHEN PROB OCCURRED AND WHEN I BECAME AWARE OF SAME. PROB WAS INTENSIFIED BY THE STRONG XWIND, REMOTENESS OF AREA WITH FEW REALLY DISTINGUISHABLE LANDMARKS AND NIGHT CONDITIONS. WAS UNABLE TO REACH FSS BY RADIO FOR WX UPDATE TO DEST AND UNCERTAIN AS TO NAV CAPABILITIES OF EQUIP. MADE DECISION TO ALTER COURSE WHICH WAS TOWARD VLD TO THE NW. PRESENT WX WAS GOOD AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO MISS VLD WITH INTERSTATE HWY AND LIGHTS FROM CITY. WAS LESS THAN HR FROM DEST WHEN PROB OCCURRED AND FROM HUMAN STANDPOINT WOULD RATHER MAKE DEST THAN ALTER COURSE. HOWEVER, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SAFETY OF FLT DICTATED THAT IT SHOULD BE TERMINATED AT VLD IN GOOD VMC CONDITIONS. ALTERED COURSE, EXERCISED EXTREME VIGILANCE AND CAUTION ENRTE, AND LANDED AT VLD. THIS PRESENTED NO PROB W/O RADIO COM CAPABILITY SINCE TWR IS CLOSED FROM XX00 FRI UNTIL MON MORNING. TOOK OFF IN GOOD VMC CONDITIONS THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND COMPLETED FLT TO DEST. MAY HAVE UNKNOWINGLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY DEVIATED FROM FAA RECOMMENDED OPERATING PRACTICES/RULES/FAR'S FROM TIME OF OCCURRENCE UNTIL FLT WAS COMPLETED.

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.