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Pilot of an small aircraft sel lost communications transmitting ability during an IFR flight while encountering WX thunderstorm build-ups. After the reporter realized that ATC was not receiving him, but he was receiving them, he tired to cancel IFR and made a tight descending turn to avoid WX and continue in VFR conditions. When ATC noticed reporter's aircraft in tight descent, they declared an emergency for him and vectored him to a nearby airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 374848 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : alb airport : 4b0 |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : alb |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 374848 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
IFR, on and off instruments, and it became clear (from approach control responses) that I had lost radio transmitter capabilities. Approach control advised of level 4-5 cumulo nimbus in a continuous line over mountainous terrain on my route. I encountered a local VFR WX region so I transmitted (which was not received) an IFR flight plan cancellation and descended in a tight turn to remain VFR until I got below the cloud layers. Seeing my rapid altitude change, approach declared an emergency for me and provided me vectors and clearance for landing at the local airport. I followed instructions by identing and turning my transponder on/off. I kept the transponder on the assigned code as I had not lost all communication capability, only transmit.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL LOST COMS XMITTING ABILITY DURING AN IFR FLT WHILE ENCOUNTERING WX TSTM BUILD-UPS. AFTER THE RPTR REALIZED THAT ATC WAS NOT RECEIVING HIM, BUT HE WAS RECEIVING THEM, HE TIRED TO CANCEL IFR AND MADE A TIGHT DSNDING TURN TO AVOID WX AND CONTINUE IN VFR CONDITIONS. WHEN ATC NOTICED RPTR'S ACFT IN TIGHT DSCNT, THEY DECLARED AN EMER FOR HIM AND VECTORED HIM TO A NEARBY ARPT.
Narrative: IFR, ON AND OFF INSTS, AND IT BECAME CLR (FROM APCH CTL RESPONSES) THAT I HAD LOST RADIO XMITTER CAPABILITIES. APCH CTL ADVISED OF LEVEL 4-5 CUMULO NIMBUS IN A CONTINUOUS LINE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ON MY RTE. I ENCOUNTERED A LCL VFR WX REGION SO I XMITTED (WHICH WAS NOT RECEIVED) AN IFR FLT PLAN CANCELLATION AND DSNDED IN A TIGHT TURN TO REMAIN VFR UNTIL I GOT BELOW THE CLOUD LAYERS. SEEING MY RAPID ALT CHANGE, APCH DECLARED AN EMER FOR ME AND PROVIDED ME VECTORS AND CLRNC FOR LNDG AT THE LCL ARPT. I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS BY IDENTING AND TURNING MY XPONDER ON/OFF. I KEPT THE XPONDER ON THE ASSIGNED CODE AS I HAD NOT LOST ALL COM CAPABILITY, ONLY XMIT.
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.