A new private pilot, flying at night, experienced radio problems. He became so distracted by this th...

Attributes
ACN	451793
Time
Date	199910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hsv.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hsv.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 78 flight time type : 78
ASRS Report	451793
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was going well until about halfway. My radio started having a lot of static in it. I tried turning the volume up and down. Nothing worked. It got louder. When I arrived near the class C airspace, I started calling approach, but I was unable to hear any response. I first tried to listen to ATIS, but I couldn't hear anything. I tried CTAF and then anniston radio several times, but I couldn't hear anything but static. To prevent entering the airspace, I circled outside of it several times, while trying to communicate on several different channels. After completing a turn, I noticed a runway. Thinking it was huntsville, I turned on my landing light. I announced that I was having radio problems. I began flashing my landing light several times, after which I noticed a green light. I flashed my landing light again. Though I could only hear static, I asked and announced my intention. I looked to make sure it was clear of traffic and not seeing a red light I landed. After clearing the runway, I tried to contact the tower, but didn't get any response. As I looked around, I realized that I wasn't at huntsville. I got my cell phone out and called anniston FSS, and informed them that I was having radio problems and landing at the wrong airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NEW PVT PLT, FLYING AT NIGHT, EXPERIENCED RADIO PROBS. HE BECAME SO DISTRACTED BY THIS THAT HE LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS GOING WELL UNTIL ABOUT HALFWAY. MY RADIO STARTED HAVING A LOT OF STATIC IN IT. I TRIED TURNING THE VOLUME UP AND DOWN. NOTHING WORKED. IT GOT LOUDER. WHEN I ARRIVED NEAR THE CLASS C AIRSPACE, I STARTED CALLING APCH, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO HEAR ANY RESPONSE. I FIRST TRIED TO LISTEN TO ATIS, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. I TRIED CTAF AND THEN ANNISTON RADIO SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BUT STATIC. TO PREVENT ENTERING THE AIRSPACE, I CIRCLED OUTSIDE OF IT SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHANNELS. AFTER COMPLETING A TURN, I NOTICED A RWY. THINKING IT WAS HUNTSVILLE, I TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS HAVING RADIO PROBS. I BEGAN FLASHING MY LNDG LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES, AFTER WHICH I NOTICED A GREEN LIGHT. I FLASHED MY LNDG LIGHT AGAIN. THOUGH I COULD ONLY HEAR STATIC, I ASKED AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION. I LOOKED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLR OF TFC AND NOT SEEING A RED LIGHT I LANDED. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, I TRIED TO CONTACT THE TWR, BUT DIDN'T GET ANY RESPONSE. AS I LOOKED AROUND, I REALIZED THAT I WASN'T AT HUNTSVILLE. I GOT MY CELL PHONE OUT AND CALLED ANNISTON FSS, AND INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS HAVING RADIO PROBS AND LNDG AT THE WRONG ARPT.

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.

A new private pilot, flying at night, experienced radio problems. He became so distracted by this that he landed at the wrong airport.