Narrative:

Pilot was receiving tailwheel instruction from rental FBO instructor. Pilot was performing touch-and-goes with several other aircraft in pattern. Pilot was receiving touch-and-go clearance from tower on downwind on previous 3-4 touch-and-goes. However, no clearance was received this time. Pilot attempted to contact tower on downwind, base and final. Another aircraft was attempting contact also. There was no response from tower. Pilot advised the flight instructor as he turned final that he would go around if unable to contact tower. The flight instructor told the pilot to continue descent. At a 1/4 mi final, pilot attempted a final radio contact with no response. It appeared the tower was totally off the air. The pilot advised the instructor he was going around. The instructor told the pilot to complete the touch-and-go advising this was a communication in the blind situation similar to the tower not in operation. On upwind, the tower contacted pilot about traffic on downwind. Tower made no explanations about being off the air over 1 min. The pilot, if flying solo, would have gone around. However, the pilot did not want to get into a confrontation with the flight instructor and performed the touch-and-go. The flight instructor may be correct. However, the pilot was taught that if a tower is in operation and a communications failure occurs (tower or aircraft) then light gun signals are used. The communications qualified as in the blind because they included position of downwind, base and final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT GETTING A CHKOUT IN TAIL DRAGGER ACFT, A CITABRIA, IS DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES IN THE TFC PATTERN. THE TWR APPARENTLY GOES OFF THE AIR AND THERE IS NO CLRNC FOR THE NEXT LNDG. THE INSTRUCTOR INSISTS THAT THEY COMPLETE THE TOUCH-AND-GO INSTEAD OF EXECUTING A GAR AS THE PLT WISHES TO DO. THEY BROADCAST IN THE BLIND AND MAKE THE TOUCH-AND-GO.

Narrative: PLT WAS RECEIVING TAILWHEEL INSTRUCTION FROM RENTAL FBO INSTRUCTOR. PLT WAS PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GOES WITH SEVERAL OTHER ACFT IN PATTERN. PLT WAS RECEIVING TOUCH-AND-GO CLRNC FROM TWR ON DOWNWIND ON PREVIOUS 3-4 TOUCH-AND-GOES. HOWEVER, NO CLRNC WAS RECEIVED THIS TIME. PLT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TWR ON DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL. ANOTHER ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING CONTACT ALSO. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM TWR. PLT ADVISED THE FLT INSTRUCTOR AS HE TURNED FINAL THAT HE WOULD GO AROUND IF UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE PLT TO CONTINUE DSCNT. AT A 1/4 MI FINAL, PLT ATTEMPTED A FINAL RADIO CONTACT WITH NO RESPONSE. IT APPEARED THE TWR WAS TOTALLY OFF THE AIR. THE PLT ADVISED THE INSTRUCTOR HE WAS GOING AROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE PLT TO COMPLETE THE TOUCH-AND-GO ADVISING THIS WAS A COM IN THE BLIND SIT SIMILAR TO THE TWR NOT IN OP. ON UPWIND, THE TWR CONTACTED PLT ABOUT TFC ON DOWNWIND. TWR MADE NO EXPLANATIONS ABOUT BEING OFF THE AIR OVER 1 MIN. THE PLT, IF FLYING SOLO, WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND. HOWEVER, THE PLT DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO A CONFRONTATION WITH THE FLT INSTRUCTOR AND PERFORMED THE TOUCH-AND-GO. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR MAY BE CORRECT. HOWEVER, THE PLT WAS TAUGHT THAT IF A TWR IS IN OP AND A COMS FAILURE OCCURS (TWR OR ACFT) THEN LIGHT GUN SIGNALS ARE USED. THE COMS QUALIFIED AS IN THE BLIND BECAUSE THEY INCLUDED POS OF DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL.

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.