A GA private pilot continues to his home airport after having problems with a malfunctioning headset, flying into the class B airspace of N90 in the process.

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Attributes
ACN	536253
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe.tracon tower : cyyz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aeronca Champion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1150 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	536253
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At 7500 ft with radar advisories, I lost ability to receive communication due to broken connection in head set. I believed I was able to transmit due to hearing crackling in the head set. I continued on course over new york class B airspace toward my destination, white plains, ny. During this time I tried to fix problem. I did not make immediate landing due to fact that it was dusk/dark. I did not wish to land at a small uncontrolled field if I could not turn on airport lights. Other airports along the way were controled fields with unfamiliar approach and sequencing patterns. I felt it would be safest to continue to my home field which was 15-20 mins away and follow standard procedures to approach field (ie, fly down hudson to tappen zee bridge). I remained above class B airspace and transmitted to approach control even though I could not hear response, remaining on previously assigned squawk code (this is also IFR lost communication procedure). I came to airport from tappen zee bridge, transmitted and received light signals. After landing, I contacted tower and operations and was told that I could be heard. There was no problem with landing and no conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GA PVT PLT CONTINUES TO HIS HOME ARPT AFTER HAVING PROBS WITH A MALFUNCTIONING HEADSET, FLYING INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF N90 IN THE PROCESS.

Narrative: AT 7500 FT WITH RADAR ADVISORIES, I LOST ABILITY TO RECEIVE COM DUE TO BROKEN CONNECTION IN HEAD SET. I BELIEVED I WAS ABLE TO XMIT DUE TO HEARING CRACKLING IN THE HEAD SET. I CONTINUED ON COURSE OVER NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE TOWARD MY DEST, WHITE PLAINS, NY. DURING THIS TIME I TRIED TO FIX PROB. I DID NOT MAKE IMMEDIATE LNDG DUE TO FACT THAT IT WAS DUSK/DARK. I DID NOT WISH TO LAND AT A SMALL UNCTLED FIELD IF I COULD NOT TURN ON ARPT LIGHTS. OTHER ARPTS ALONG THE WAY WERE CTLED FIELDS WITH UNFAMILIAR APCH AND SEQUENCING PATTERNS. I FELT IT WOULD BE SAFEST TO CONTINUE TO MY HOME FIELD WHICH WAS 15-20 MINS AWAY AND FOLLOW STANDARD PROCS TO APCH FIELD (IE, FLY DOWN HUDSON TO TAPPEN ZEE BRIDGE). I REMAINED ABOVE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND XMITTED TO APCH CTL EVEN THOUGH I COULD NOT HEAR RESPONSE, REMAINING ON PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE (THIS IS ALSO IFR LOST COM PROC). I CAME TO ARPT FROM TAPPEN ZEE BRIDGE, XMITTED AND RECEIVED LIGHT SIGNALS. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED TWR AND OPS AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BE HEARD. THERE WAS NO PROB WITH LNDG AND NO CONFLICTS.

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.