PA31 pilot has radio problem departing las vegas area, departs with limited communication to be told...

Attributes
ACN	483310
Time
Date	200008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : las.vortac
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	483310
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I allegedly intruded las class B airspace without a clearance. The following is my account of this flight. 1) I received VFR departure instructions to transition las class B airspace swbound from vgt ground. The instructions included a 250 degree heading, initial altitude of 4000 ft, las departure frequency, and squawk code. 2) I departed runway 7, and then turned right to a heading of 250 degrees as instructed. Expecting a frequency change, I attempted to contact vgt tower. I received no response, as I departed the class D airspace. 3) I turned nwbound to avoid a) the terrain, B) the las class B airspace, and C) las departure/arrival courses, while maintaining 4000 ft. 4) on a northwest heading, I tried to sort out the problem with the radios. I got radio reception with the overhead speaker by pulling my headset out of the jacks. I still could not transmit. 5) at 22 NM northwest of the las VOR, I had approaching terrain (sheep mountain northwest, and gass peak northeast), as well as restr area 4806 north of my position. I squawked 7600. 6) I elected to climb to 6000 ft and circle, repeatedly trying to troubleshoot the radios. 7) after circling for 5 mins in light to moderate turbulence, I decided to spiral upwards to clear the mountain range to the west and avoid las class B airspace. 8) after I had gained enough altitude to clear the mountains to the west, I proceeded 10 NM wbound, then southwest direct dag VOR. 9) en route to bur, I found I was able to transmit an intermittent, load squeal using the hand microphone. I then found, on approach to bur, that if I pushed the push-to-talk on the yoke and then quickly pushed the hand microphone at the same time, I could transmit and receive on the overhead speaker. 10) I got back to bur to find I had allegedly intruded the las class B airspace without a clearance. I may have inadvertently entered the northwest corner while spiraling upward (reference #7 above). This situation could have been avoided if: 1) I should have had a planned VFR lost communication route. 2) ATC could have attempted to make contact, I would have been able to respond via transponder identify.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT HAS RADIO PROB DEPARTING LAS VEGAS AREA, DEPARTS WITH LIMITED COM TO BE TOLD LATER THAT HE ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I ALLEGEDLY INTRUDED LAS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE FOLLOWING IS MY ACCOUNT OF THIS FLT. 1) I RECEIVED VFR DEP INSTRUCTIONS TO TRANSITION LAS CLASS B AIRSPACE SWBOUND FROM VGT GND. THE INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED A 250 DEG HDG, INITIAL ALT OF 4000 FT, LAS DEP FREQ, AND SQUAWK CODE. 2) I DEPARTED RWY 7, AND THEN TURNED R TO A HDG OF 250 DEGS AS INSTRUCTED. EXPECTING A FREQ CHANGE, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT VGT TWR. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE, AS I DEPARTED THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. 3) I TURNED NWBOUND TO AVOID A) THE TERRAIN, B) THE LAS CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND C) LAS DEP/ARR COURSES, WHILE MAINTAINING 4000 FT. 4) ON A NW HDG, I TRIED TO SORT OUT THE PROB WITH THE RADIOS. I GOT RADIO RECEPTION WITH THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER BY PULLING MY HEADSET OUT OF THE JACKS. I STILL COULD NOT XMIT. 5) AT 22 NM NW OF THE LAS VOR, I HAD APCHING TERRAIN (SHEEP MOUNTAIN NW, AND GASS PEAK NE), AS WELL AS RESTR AREA 4806 N OF MY POS. I SQUAWKED 7600. 6) I ELECTED TO CLB TO 6000 FT AND CIRCLE, REPEATEDLY TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE RADIOS. 7) AFTER CIRCLING FOR 5 MINS IN LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB, I DECIDED TO SPIRAL UPWARDS TO CLR THE MOUNTAIN RANGE TO THE W AND AVOID LAS CLASS B AIRSPACE. 8) AFTER I HAD GAINED ENOUGH ALT TO CLR THE MOUNTAINS TO THE W, I PROCEEDED 10 NM WBOUND, THEN SW DIRECT DAG VOR. 9) ENRTE TO BUR, I FOUND I WAS ABLE TO XMIT AN INTERMITTENT, LOAD SQUEAL USING THE HAND MIKE. I THEN FOUND, ON APCH TO BUR, THAT IF I PUSHED THE PUSH-TO-TALK ON THE YOKE AND THEN QUICKLY PUSHED THE HAND MIKE AT THE SAME TIME, I COULD XMIT AND RECEIVE ON THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER. 10) I GOT BACK TO BUR TO FIND I HAD ALLEGEDLY INTRUDED THE LAS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE NW CORNER WHILE SPIRALING UPWARD (REF #7 ABOVE). THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF: 1) I SHOULD HAVE HAD A PLANNED VFR LOST COM RTE. 2) ATC COULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND VIA XPONDER IDENT.

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.

PA31 pilot has radio problem departing las vegas area, departs with limited communication to be told later that he entered class B airspace without clearance.