Pilot of a small aircraft sel lost communication and squawked 7700 continuously by mistake.

Attributes
ACN	271116
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lan
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 345 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	271116
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to lansing, mi, from alma, mi, I encountered radio problems with my ship 2-WAY communication unit. I had a back-up hand held transceiver which I had tested on past flts and knew was working. I felt I was coming close to the 20 mi radius-lansing airspace and went to 2500 ft in an effort to make radio contact. I could hear traffic on my portable unit but apparently was unable to raise lansing. At this point I felt I was within the 20 mi radius of the lansing airspace and thus decided to squawk 7600. I squawked 7700 for 1 min -- and neglected to switch to 7600. I could hear radio traffic on my transceiver, but apparently continued to be unable to raise lansing approach. As I approached the 5 mi radius of lansing, I decided to drop to 1500 ft MSL and divert to davis airport, east lansing. At about that time, I was able to communication with lansing and I was cleared to land on 10 right. I went back up to pattern altitude and made a normal approach to landing. At that time I advised lansing that I had experienced a radio failure and was communicating via transceiver. On the ground, I discovered that I had been squawking 7700.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA SEL LOST COM AND SQUAWKED 7700 CONTINUOUSLY BY MISTAKE.

Narrative: ENRTE TO LANSING, MI, FROM ALMA, MI, I ENCOUNTERED RADIO PROBS WITH MY SHIP 2-WAY COM UNIT. I HAD A BACK-UP HAND HELD TRANSCEIVER WHICH I HAD TESTED ON PAST FLTS AND KNEW WAS WORKING. I FELT I WAS COMING CLOSE TO THE 20 MI RADIUS-LANSING AIRSPACE AND WENT TO 2500 FT IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT. I COULD HEAR TFC ON MY PORTABLE UNIT BUT APPARENTLY WAS UNABLE TO RAISE LANSING. AT THIS POINT I FELT I WAS WITHIN THE 20 MI RADIUS OF THE LANSING AIRSPACE AND THUS DECIDED TO SQUAWK 7600. I SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN -- AND NEGLECTED TO SWITCH TO 7600. I COULD HEAR RADIO TFC ON MY TRANSCEIVER, BUT APPARENTLY CONTINUED TO BE UNABLE TO RAISE LANSING APCH. AS I APCHED THE 5 MI RADIUS OF LANSING, I DECIDED TO DROP TO 1500 FT MSL AND DIVERT TO DAVIS ARPT, E LANSING. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, I WAS ABLE TO COM WITH LANSING AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON 10 R. I WENT BACK UP TO PATTERN ALT AND MADE A NORMAL APCH TO LNDG. AT THAT TIME I ADVISED LANSING THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED A RADIO FAILURE AND WAS COMMUNICATING VIA TRANSCEIVER. ON THE GND, I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD BEEN SQUAWKING 7700.

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.