GA pilot experiences communication radio failure, and enters deteriorating WX conditions.

Attributes
ACN	442042
Time
Date	199907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hao.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day.tracon tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 63 flight time type : 63
ASRS Report	442042
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying VFR from laf to hao. I was receiving flight following from ind approach. They gave me a new frequency and told me to contact day approach. I changed frequencys and called dayton, and got no response. I waited, and then tried again, but no response. I tried the other radio, both radios on the previous frequency, power cycling the radios, avionics master switch, etc. But still nothing. So I changed my squawk code to 7600 in case day or ind were still tracking me. During the time I had been working on the radio problem, I had still been flying the plane and watching for traffic. However, I hadn't been paying attention to the clouds underneath me. They had gone from scattered to broken to almost solid. I started looking for a break in the clouds. After a few mins, I found one large enough. I proceeded to enter a tight descending turn through the break, staying in the center and clear of clouds. As I was about 1/2 way through, I realized that the break was not big enough to allow me to maintain 2000 ft clear of clouds horizontally. I was more than 1000 ft clear, but probably less than 2000 ft clear. After descending under the clouds, I proceeded to approach hao. I announced my position on hao CTAF, in case my transmitter was still working. There was no traffic in the pattern, and I proceeded to land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT EXPERIENCES COM RADIO FAILURE, AND ENTERS DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR FROM LAF TO HAO. I WAS RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING FROM IND APCH. THEY GAVE ME A NEW FREQ AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT DAY APCH. I CHANGED FREQS AND CALLED DAYTON, AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I WAITED, AND THEN TRIED AGAIN, BUT NO RESPONSE. I TRIED THE OTHER RADIO, BOTH RADIOS ON THE PREVIOUS FREQ, PWR CYCLING THE RADIOS, AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH, ETC. BUT STILL NOTHING. SO I CHANGED MY SQUAWK CODE TO 7600 IN CASE DAY OR IND WERE STILL TRACKING ME. DURING THE TIME I HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE RADIO PROB, I HAD STILL BEEN FLYING THE PLANE AND WATCHING FOR TFC. HOWEVER, I HADN'T BEEN PAYING ATTN TO THE CLOUDS UNDERNEATH ME. THEY HAD GONE FROM SCATTERED TO BROKEN TO ALMOST SOLID. I STARTED LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS. AFTER A FEW MINS, I FOUND ONE LARGE ENOUGH. I PROCEEDED TO ENTER A TIGHT DSNDING TURN THROUGH THE BREAK, STAYING IN THE CENTER AND CLR OF CLOUDS. AS I WAS ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH, I REALIZED THAT THE BREAK WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT CLR OF CLOUDS HORIZLY. I WAS MORE THAN 1000 FT CLR, BUT PROBABLY LESS THAN 2000 FT CLR. AFTER DSNDING UNDER THE CLOUDS, I PROCEEDED TO APCH HAO. I ANNOUNCED MY POS ON HAO CTAF, IN CASE MY XMITTER WAS STILL WORKING. THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE PATTERN, AND I PROCEEDED TO LAND.

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.