Narrative:

At XA30, I departed dab, VFR, for local satellite airports at ormond beach and new smyrna beach to complete night currency lndgs. Upon return to 10 NM chkpoint to return to dab class C airspace, along the beach, I discovered that I could not receive any communication on either navigation/communication. After circling beyond the class C airspace, attempting to receive by changing headsets and other headset jacks, and trying to use the speaker, I noticed that the stratus/fog cloud lying between the chkpoint and dab international thickening. I discovered I had probably 400 ft of ceiling and at least 3 NM horizontal visibility. Believing the conditions could worsen, I chose to squawk communications failure (7600) (I mistakenly squawked 7500!) and having 'return homeitis,' continuously transmitted to dab approach and dab tower that I was experiencing communication problems, and my intention to return to dab international, using the usual left downwind to runway 7L. I had plenty of horizontal visibility (greater than 3 mi), but the ceiling was decreasing rapidly to below 500 ft. By the time I turned to cross the coast, I found that I could easily follow highway 92 with its street lights at about 300 ft AGL for my downwind leg. I had to alter my base leg to avoid an area near the approach end of the runway believed to be obscured by thicker fog/stratus clouds. Thankfully, I was able to then see clearly to make a safe midfield landing on the brightly-lit runway 7L. I reported the navigation/communication failure to maintenance on usual maintenance form, grounding the aircraft. In summary, 2 incredible events happened at the same time: 1) communications failure and 2) deterioration of visibility. I had the scare of my life -- and certainly have learned a great deal from this harrowing experience! Already, our facility flying club school has thoroughly interviewed me, and held a safety stand-down meeting. I am taking a serious, pro-active approach to making sure nothing like this ever happens to me or the other member pilots again! I would like to say that I was not trying to show off, nor be a smart-alec in any way! I am thoroughly embarrassed and am very sorry for inconveniences and/or stress I may have caused anyone. In hindsight, which is 20/20, I now realize I should have landed at new smyrna beach airport, and left the plane there for maintenance people to repair the navigation/communication situation. My return homeitis could have certainly caused much sadder results. I am determined to make this experience a motivation to further educate myself and others regarding return homeitis. I have also determined that I should always equipment myself with backup items, such as a hand-held radio and/or cell phone, as well as alternative plans for every point of every flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT LOSES HIS VHF COM CAPABILITY DURING A NIGHT OP AND AFTER BEING NEAR IMC IN VFR FLT AT 300 FT AGL LANDS AT HIS HOME ARPT OF DAB, FL.

Narrative: AT XA30, I DEPARTED DAB, VFR, FOR LCL SATELLITE ARPTS AT ORMOND BEACH AND NEW SMYRNA BEACH TO COMPLETE NIGHT CURRENCY LNDGS. UPON RETURN TO 10 NM CHKPOINT TO RETURN TO DAB CLASS C AIRSPACE, ALONG THE BEACH, I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD NOT RECEIVE ANY COM ON EITHER NAV/COM. AFTER CIRCLING BEYOND THE CLASS C AIRSPACE, ATTEMPTING TO RECEIVE BY CHANGING HEADSETS AND OTHER HEADSET JACKS, AND TRYING TO USE THE SPEAKER, I NOTICED THAT THE STRATUS/FOG CLOUD LYING BTWN THE CHKPOINT AND DAB INTL THICKENING. I DISCOVERED I HAD PROBABLY 400 FT OF CEILING AND AT LEAST 3 NM HORIZ VISIBILITY. BELIEVING THE CONDITIONS COULD WORSEN, I CHOSE TO SQUAWK COMS FAILURE (7600) (I MISTAKENLY SQUAWKED 7500!) AND HAVING 'RETURN HOMEITIS,' CONTINUOUSLY XMITTED TO DAB APCH AND DAB TWR THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING COM PROBS, AND MY INTENTION TO RETURN TO DAB INTL, USING THE USUAL L DOWNWIND TO RWY 7L. I HAD PLENTY OF HORIZ VISIBILITY (GREATER THAN 3 MI), BUT THE CEILING WAS DECREASING RAPIDLY TO BELOW 500 FT. BY THE TIME I TURNED TO CROSS THE COAST, I FOUND THAT I COULD EASILY FOLLOW HWY 92 WITH ITS STREET LIGHTS AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL FOR MY DOWNWIND LEG. I HAD TO ALTER MY BASE LEG TO AVOID AN AREA NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY BELIEVED TO BE OBSCURED BY THICKER FOG/STRATUS CLOUDS. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO THEN SEE CLRLY TO MAKE A SAFE MIDFIELD LNDG ON THE BRIGHTLY-LIT RWY 7L. I RPTED THE NAV/COM FAILURE TO MAINT ON USUAL MAINT FORM, GNDING THE ACFT. IN SUMMARY, 2 INCREDIBLE EVENTS HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME: 1) COMS FAILURE AND 2) DETERIORATION OF VISIBILITY. I HAD THE SCARE OF MY LIFE -- AND CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM THIS HARROWING EXPERIENCE! ALREADY, OUR FACILITY FLYING CLUB SCHOOL HAS THOROUGHLY INTERVIEWED ME, AND HELD A SAFETY STAND-DOWN MEETING. I AM TAKING A SERIOUS, PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH TO MAKING SURE NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS TO ME OR THE OTHER MEMBER PLTS AGAIN! I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WAS NOT TRYING TO SHOW OFF, NOR BE A SMART-ALEC IN ANY WAY! I AM THOROUGHLY EMBARRASSED AND AM VERY SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCES AND/OR STRESS I MAY HAVE CAUSED ANYONE. IN HINDSIGHT, WHICH IS 20/20, I NOW REALIZE I SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT NEW SMYRNA BEACH ARPT, AND LEFT THE PLANE THERE FOR MAINT PEOPLE TO REPAIR THE NAV/COM SIT. MY RETURN HOMEITIS COULD HAVE CERTAINLY CAUSED MUCH SADDER RESULTS. I AM DETERMINED TO MAKE THIS EXPERIENCE A MOTIVATION TO FURTHER EDUCATE MYSELF AND OTHERS REGARDING RETURN HOMEITIS. I HAVE ALSO DETERMINED THAT I SHOULD ALWAYS EQUIP MYSELF WITH BACKUP ITEMS, SUCH AS A HAND-HELD RADIO AND/OR CELL PHONE, AS WELL AS ALTERNATIVE PLANS FOR EVERY POINT OF EVERY FLT.

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.