Radio failure on IFR flight plan. Continues to destination.

Attributes
ACN	163645
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btr
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tower : agc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	163645
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On IFR flight at 5000' MSL had just been handed off from btr approach to houston center with clear to rsn direct. No radio contact with houston center, but could hear radio traffic so thought I would be able to contact them in a few mins. About 70 NM north of btr en route to rsn direct I lost complete radios and decided to proceed direct to rsn in VFR conditions. I did not pass directly over any approved airport, but could have landed at winnsboro or columbia, but decided rsn was more practical as I was unsure of availability of telephones and mechanics on a sat afternoon. After landing at rsn, I contacted mlu tower after being told by the 'lineboy' that mlu had called. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Houston center trying to get in touch. Concerned because had to clear so much airspace. Reporter states that the two airports on his route are not open on saturday and there would have been no phone available. Landing would not have made much difference. Felt he did most practical thing. Did not enter any controled airspace. Has spoken with local FSDO inspector. No action at this point.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO FAILURE ON IFR FLT PLAN. CONTINUES TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT AT 5000' MSL HAD JUST BEEN HANDED OFF FROM BTR APCH TO HOUSTON CTR WITH CLR TO RSN DIRECT. NO RADIO CONTACT WITH HOUSTON CTR, BUT COULD HEAR RADIO TFC SO THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTACT THEM IN A FEW MINS. ABOUT 70 NM N OF BTR ENRTE TO RSN DIRECT I LOST COMPLETE RADIOS AND DECIDED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO RSN IN VFR CONDITIONS. I DID NOT PASS DIRECTLY OVER ANY APPROVED ARPT, BUT COULD HAVE LANDED AT WINNSBORO OR COLUMBIA, BUT DECIDED RSN WAS MORE PRACTICAL AS I WAS UNSURE OF AVAILABILITY OF TELEPHONES AND MECHS ON A SAT AFTERNOON. AFTER LNDG AT RSN, I CONTACTED MLU TWR AFTER BEING TOLD BY THE 'LINEBOY' THAT MLU HAD CALLED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. HOUSTON CTR TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH. CONCERNED BECAUSE HAD TO CLR SO MUCH AIRSPACE. RPTR STATES THAT THE TWO ARPTS ON HIS RTE ARE NOT OPEN ON SATURDAY AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PHONE AVAILABLE. LNDG WOULD NOT HAVE MADE MUCH DIFFERENCE. FELT HE DID MOST PRACTICAL THING. DID NOT ENTER ANY CTLED AIRSPACE. HAS SPOKEN WITH LCL FSDO INSPECTOR. NO ACTION AT THIS POINT.

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.