C172 pilot had radio failure in msn class C at 2500 ft.

Attributes
ACN	521743
Time
Date	200108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msn.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msn.tracon tower : msn.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msn.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	521743
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon climb out VFR from the madison wisconsin airport, departure gave me a 090 degree heading and maintain at or below 2500 ft. No notification from departure as to whether we were radar contact or not. After approximately 3-5 mins on the 090 degree heading, we discovered that all of our radios had quit. While trying to reestablish communications, we began a turn toward the southeast, which was our original requested direction of flight. We did get a hand-held radio out and could hear some transmission. We tried to transmit to departure with no success. We heard departure give a TA to a military helicopter, and he was asked to turn to another heading, due to our location. The controller was heard to say that she could not get us on the radio. Once we turned further southeast, we were able to make some contact with departure, (xmissions very weak). We then heard the controller tell us to squawk 1200 and radar service terminated. We then told the controller that we had lost all of our aircraft radios. No further issue or action was noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD RADIO FAILURE IN MSN CLASS C AT 2500 FT.

Narrative: UPON CLBOUT VFR FROM THE MADISON WISCONSIN ARPT, DEP GAVE ME A 090 DEG HDG AND MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 2500 FT. NO NOTIFICATION FROM DEP AS TO WHETHER WE WERE RADAR CONTACT OR NOT. AFTER APPROX 3-5 MINS ON THE 090 DEG HDG, WE DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF OUR RADIOS HAD QUIT. WHILE TRYING TO REESTABLISH COMS, WE BEGAN A TURN TOWARD THE SE, WHICH WAS OUR ORIGINAL REQUESTED DIRECTION OF FLT. WE DID GET A HAND-HELD RADIO OUT AND COULD HEAR SOME XMISSION. WE TRIED TO XMIT TO DEP WITH NO SUCCESS. WE HEARD DEP GIVE A TA TO A MIL HELI, AND HE WAS ASKED TO TURN TO ANOTHER HEADING, DUE TO OUR LOCATION. THE CTLR WAS HEARD TO SAY THAT SHE COULD NOT GET US ON THE RADIO. ONCE WE TURNED FURTHER SE, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SOME CONTACT WITH DEP, (XMISSIONS VERY WEAK). WE THEN HEARD THE CTLR TELL US TO SQUAWK 1200 AND RADAR SVC TERMINATED. WE THEN TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD LOST ALL OF OUR ACFT RADIOS. NO FURTHER ISSUE OR ACTION WAS NOTED.

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.