Pilot of small transport air taxi freight aircraft lost radio communication during IFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	205192
Time
Date	199203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : svm airport : yip
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	205192
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a cargo flight from dpa to yip, the communication radios failed. On descent out of 9000 for 3000, ATC could no longer receive or transmit to me. I tried both radios and transmitters, and tried turning them off and on, to no avail. I then tried talking to yip tower and the lansing FSS on 121.5 to no avail. I was heading north, which was taking me away from ILS 5R. At 3000 MSL, 10 NM northwest of salem VOR, and in VMC conditions, I squawked 7700/7600. I turned the plane toward salem VOR, when ATC came on the radio, I could not transmit, so I replied with an identify. I flew a 1780 degree radial off salem, saw yip airport, received visual clearance and changed over to yip tower. The tower gave a solid green light, and I landed. While taxiing in, I tried the push to talk and extra transmitter, both worked. Both radios also worked. Yip tower said earlier that they had heard me transmitting the first time. I dropped off the freight, both radios were still 5 by 5, so I took off VFR back to chicago.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT AIR TAXI FREIGHT ACFT LOST RADIO COM DURING IFR FLT.

Narrative: ON A CARGO FLT FROM DPA TO YIP, THE COM RADIOS FAILED. ON DSCNT OUT OF 9000 FOR 3000, ATC COULD NO LONGER RECEIVE OR XMIT TO ME. I TRIED BOTH RADIOS AND XMITTERS, AND TRIED TURNING THEM OFF AND ON, TO NO AVAIL. I THEN TRIED TALKING TO YIP TWR AND THE LANSING FSS ON 121.5 TO NO AVAIL. I WAS HDG N, WHICH WAS TAKING ME AWAY FROM ILS 5R. AT 3000 MSL, 10 NM NW OF SALEM VOR, AND IN VMC CONDITIONS, I SQUAWKED 7700/7600. I TURNED THE PLANE TOWARD SALEM VOR, WHEN ATC CAME ON THE RADIO, I COULD NOT XMIT, SO I REPLIED WITH AN IDENT. I FLEW A 1780 DEG RADIAL OFF SALEM, SAW YIP ARPT, RECEIVED VISUAL CLRNC AND CHANGED OVER TO YIP TWR. THE TWR GAVE A SOLID GREEN LIGHT, AND I LANDED. WHILE TAXIING IN, I TRIED THE PUSH TO TALK AND EXTRA XMITTER, BOTH WORKED. BOTH RADIOS ALSO WORKED. YIP TWR SAID EARLIER THAT THEY HAD HEARD ME XMITTING THE FIRST TIME. I DROPPED OFF THE FREIGHT, BOTH RADIOS WERE STILL 5 BY 5, SO I TOOK OFF VFR BACK TO CHICAGO.

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.