Radios failing at night, IFR. Precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	215259
Time
Date	199207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : pia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 2150 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	215259
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After departing syr, ny, area handed over to ZNY. My radios at times were weak and unreadable. I did not hear a conversation on our frequency for about 10 mins. I queried center who now I heard was trying to get a closer aircraft to call me to change to washington center frequency. After contacting washington center I noticed a decrease in electrical power. Lights dim, radio weaker, checked all fuses, trip switches still the same. I requested vectors direct hgr. Center (dca) was very helpful. That day I traveled clt-syr-clt and had radio problems most of the way; but they got worse as the day progressed. We landed at hgr and an avionics technician switched the stack around and checked some wiring only to find no problems. I think that next time I won't travel so far with an aircraft that I haven't used before, that has a bunch of little problems here and there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIOS FAILING AT NIGHT, IFR. PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING SYR, NY, AREA HANDED OVER TO ZNY. MY RADIOS AT TIMES WERE WEAK AND UNREADABLE. I DID NOT HEAR A CONVERSATION ON OUR FREQ FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. I QUERIED CTR WHO NOW I HEARD WAS TRYING TO GET A CLOSER ACFT TO CALL ME TO CHANGE TO WASHINGTON CTR FREQ. AFTER CONTACTING WASHINGTON CTR I NOTICED A DECREASE IN ELECTRICAL PWR. LIGHTS DIM, RADIO WEAKER, CHKED ALL FUSES, TRIP SWITCHES STILL THE SAME. I REQUESTED VECTORS DIRECT HGR. CTR (DCA) WAS VERY HELPFUL. THAT DAY I TRAVELED CLT-SYR-CLT AND HAD RADIO PROBLEMS MOST OF THE WAY; BUT THEY GOT WORSE AS THE DAY PROGRESSED. WE LANDED AT HGR AND AN AVIONICS TECHNICIAN SWITCHED THE STACK AROUND AND CHKED SOME WIRING ONLY TO FIND NO PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT NEXT TIME I WON'T TRAVEL SO FAR WITH AN ACFT THAT I HAVEN'T USED BEFORE, THAT HAS A BUNCH OF LITTLE PROBLEMS HERE AND THERE.

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.