Narrative:

Flying on course V317 sse of wacal intersection (N54 degree 05 degree 62 degree, west 130 degree 38 degree 34 degree) I notified vancouver center that I was losing nichols NDB, and that the signal from annette island VOR (N55 degree 03 degree 65 degree west 131 degree 34 degree 60 degree) was getting weaker. This was at PM10Z thursday. At PM20Z I finally lost ann VOR, and so I notified to the vancouver center. I notify that I was flying heading 135 degree based on my previous calculations. The vancouver center agreed. The signal from vancouver center was getting weaker and weaker, and so I notified. I was told by the controller to contact vancouver center on 135.2, once past mciness island NDB (N52 degree 15 degree 70 degree west 128 degree 43 degree 30 degree). Crossing radial 080 degree from sandspit VOR (north 53 degree 15 degree 15 degree west 131 degree 48 degree 32 degree). I notified the controller that I was unable to receive mciness island NDB. I could tell that the controller was answering me, but the voice was weak and garble. I tried several times, and finally I couldn't hear anything. By PM35 I had burnt half of my tanks, I was flying on my own previous calculations without any NAVAID or controller assistance (for technical reasons) and I decided that I had enough fuel to get to ketchikan, taking sitka as an alternate. I turned 180 degree and I headed nnw (300 degree) knowing that within 20 mi or so I would start receiving annette island VOR. I didn't change my altitude because 60 wouldn't be possible since the MEA is 6200 and 80 would be too dangerous considering that at 70 the temperature was 00 degree centigrade and at 80 minus 06 degree and I was flying through visible moisture and I already registered a light rime ice accumulation. I tried to contact vancouver center on 118.0 and I reported my 'estimated' position and intentions, asking for an IFR clearance to the ketchikan airport. Clearance was granted. The question is this: when ever you lose communications and you are unable to receive any NAVAID, what would be the procedure to follow? (Since obviously you can't comply with the clearance). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that he learned a lot from this experience. He will not attempt a similar flight at night, in WX and with forecasted icing conditions unless an appropriately equipped aircraft is used. He further stated that mountainous terrain. He also stated that he became alarmed at his lack of radio navigation and communication reception and inadvertently shut off all cockpit light. It was a dark night and darker in the cockpit. Fortunately he restored the lights, but by now felt more secure in returning to his home departure point, 105 mi to the north. He now realizes that his lack of radio reception was probably due to his altitude being at or below the min en route altitude. Analyst believes that the reporter will be a much safer pilot because of this actual experience and having 'lived.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA PVT TRAINING ACFT LOST RADIO NAV AND COM ON A NIGHT XCOUNTRY FLT AND RETURNED TO THE DEP POINT.

Narrative: FLYING ON COURSE V317 SSE OF WACAL INTXN (N54 DEG 05 DEG 62 DEG, W 130 DEG 38 DEG 34 DEG) I NOTIFIED VANCOUVER CTR THAT I WAS LOSING NICHOLS NDB, AND THAT THE SIGNAL FROM ANNETTE ISLAND VOR (N55 DEG 03 DEG 65 DEG W 131 DEG 34 DEG 60 DEG) WAS GETTING WEAKER. THIS WAS AT PM10Z THURSDAY. AT PM20Z I FINALLY LOST ANN VOR, AND SO I NOTIFIED TO THE VANCOUVER CTR. I NOTIFY THAT I WAS FLYING HDG 135 DEG BASED ON MY PREVIOUS CALCULATIONS. THE VANCOUVER CTR AGREED. THE SIGNAL FROM VANCOUVER CTR WAS GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER, AND SO I NOTIFIED. I WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR TO CONTACT VANCOUVER CTR ON 135.2, ONCE PAST MCINESS ISLAND NDB (N52 DEG 15 DEG 70 DEG W 128 DEG 43 DEG 30 DEG). XING RADIAL 080 DEG FROM SANDSPIT VOR (N 53 DEG 15 DEG 15 DEG W 131 DEG 48 DEG 32 DEG). I NOTIFIED THE CTLR THAT I WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE MCINESS ISLAND NDB. I COULD TELL THAT THE CTLR WAS ANSWERING ME, BUT THE VOICE WAS WEAK AND GARBLE. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, AND FINALLY I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. BY PM35 I HAD BURNT HALF OF MY TANKS, I WAS FLYING ON MY OWN PREVIOUS CALCULATIONS WITHOUT ANY NAVAID OR CTLR ASSISTANCE (FOR TECHNICAL REASONS) AND I DECIDED THAT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO GET TO KETCHIKAN, TAKING SITKA AS AN ALTERNATE. I TURNED 180 DEG AND I HEADED NNW (300 DEG) KNOWING THAT WITHIN 20 MI OR SO I WOULD START RECEIVING ANNETTE ISLAND VOR. I DIDN'T CHANGE MY ALT BECAUSE 60 WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE SINCE THE MEA IS 6200 AND 80 WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS CONSIDERING THAT AT 70 THE TEMP WAS 00 DEG CENTIGRADE AND AT 80 MINUS 06 DEG AND I WAS FLYING THROUGH VISIBLE MOISTURE AND I ALREADY REGISTERED A LIGHT RIME ICE ACCUMULATION. I TRIED TO CONTACT VANCOUVER CTR ON 118.0 AND I RPTED MY 'ESTIMATED' POS AND INTENTIONS, ASKING FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO THE KETCHIKAN ARPT. CLRNC WAS GRANTED. THE QUESTION IS THIS: WHEN EVER YOU LOSE COMS AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO RECEIVE ANY NAVAID, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROC TO FOLLOW? (SINCE OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT HE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. HE WILL NOT ATTEMPT A SIMILAR FLT AT NIGHT, IN WX AND WITH FORECASTED ICING CONDITIONS UNLESS AN APPROPRIATELY EQUIPPED ACFT IS USED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE BECAME ALARMED AT HIS LACK OF RADIO NAV AND COM RECEPTION AND INADVERTENTLY SHUT OFF ALL COCKPIT LIGHT. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND DARKER IN THE COCKPIT. FORTUNATELY HE RESTORED THE LIGHTS, BUT BY NOW FELT MORE SECURE IN RETURNING TO HIS HOME DEP POINT, 105 MI TO THE N. HE NOW REALIZES THAT HIS LACK OF RADIO RECEPTION WAS PROBABLY DUE TO HIS ALT BEING AT OR BELOW THE MIN ENRTE ALT. ANALYST BELIEVES THAT THE RPTR WILL BE A MUCH SAFER PLT BECAUSE OF THIS ACTUAL EXPERIENCE AND HAVING 'LIVED.'

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.