Narrative:

I was returning to renton, wa, from arlington, wa, after lunch. As I started my descent from 3000 ft to 2000 ft to stay clear of seattle class B airspace, I tuned my communication radio to rnt ATIS (126.95). I had been monitoring 123.0 as I flew above harvey field and heard communications from harvey as well as several other nearby fields. I heard nothing on 126.95. I adjusted the volume on both the radio and headset. I heard an occasional blip of voice transmission, but nothing understandable. I tuned renton tower, 124.7, and called the tower, announcing my situation, but not sure if I could be heard. I reset the alternator and clicked my microphone 3 times. I still heard nothing. I continued my descent, coming in over the white water tower for entry on the 45 degree downwind to runway 33. Scanning for traffic, I saw were in the pattern. I clicked my microphone 3 times again and wagged my wings, looking at the tower for a light signal. I saw no signal and no traffic in the pattern. I entered on the 45 degree downwind for runway 33, scanning for traffic and looking for a light signal. I saw neither. I continued my approach, scanning for traffic, made my base and final turns. I still saw no traffic and proceeded to land. I should have circled the field to establish the current direction of traffic and waited for a light signal from the tower before proceeding. I was unnerved by the loss of my comrdo. While I did focus on flying the plane, I did not fully consider how I might avoid putting others at risk. After taxiing to park, I called the tower and spoke with the controller. We discussed how I should have made the approach and landing. This has been a very sobering experience. It has impressed upon me the need to comply with regulations, specially in a nonstandard situation. As I reflect on the event, I realize that while I had been through some light signal drills with my instructor during training at renton, I had never done an approach without a comrdo. I did not make the best decisions I could have made under the circumstances. I plan to discuss with my instructor how I can prepare for a similar situation at renton or another airfield.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177, PVT PLT LOST COM ABILITY AND LANDED WITHOUT TWR CLRNC, EITHER BY RADIO OR LIGHT SIGNALS.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO RENTON, WA, FROM ARLINGTON, WA, AFTER LUNCH. AS I STARTED MY DSCNT FROM 3000 FT TO 2000 FT TO STAY CLR OF SEATTLE CLASS B AIRSPACE, I TUNED MY COM RADIO TO RNT ATIS (126.95). I HAD BEEN MONITORING 123.0 AS I FLEW ABOVE HARVEY FIELD AND HEARD COMS FROM HARVEY AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER NEARBY FIELDS. I HEARD NOTHING ON 126.95. I ADJUSTED THE VOLUME ON BOTH THE RADIO AND HEADSET. I HEARD AN OCCASIONAL BLIP OF VOICE XMISSION, BUT NOTHING UNDERSTANDABLE. I TUNED RENTON TWR, 124.7, AND CALLED THE TWR, ANNOUNCING MY SIT, BUT NOT SURE IF I COULD BE HEARD. I RESET THE ALTERNATOR AND CLICKED MY MIKE 3 TIMES. I STILL HEARD NOTHING. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT, COMING IN OVER THE WHITE WATER TWR FOR ENTRY ON THE 45 DEG DOWNWIND TO RWY 33. SCANNING FOR TFC, I SAW WERE IN THE PATTERN. I CLICKED MY MIKE 3 TIMES AGAIN AND WAGGED MY WINGS, LOOKING AT THE TWR FOR A LIGHT SIGNAL. I SAW NO SIGNAL AND NO TFC IN THE PATTERN. I ENTERED ON THE 45 DEG DOWNWIND FOR RWY 33, SCANNING FOR TFC AND LOOKING FOR A LIGHT SIGNAL. I SAW NEITHER. I CONTINUED MY APCH, SCANNING FOR TFC, MADE MY BASE AND FINAL TURNS. I STILL SAW NO TFC AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. I SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED THE FIELD TO ESTABLISH THE CURRENT DIRECTION OF TFC AND WAITED FOR A LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR BEFORE PROCEEDING. I WAS UNNERVED BY THE LOSS OF MY COMRDO. WHILE I DID FOCUS ON FLYING THE PLANE, I DID NOT FULLY CONSIDER HOW I MIGHT AVOID PUTTING OTHERS AT RISK. AFTER TAXIING TO PARK, I CALLED THE TWR AND SPOKE WITH THE CTLR. WE DISCUSSED HOW I SHOULD HAVE MADE THE APCH AND LNDG. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY SOBERING EXPERIENCE. IT HAS IMPRESSED UPON ME THE NEED TO COMPLY WITH REGS, SPECIALLY IN A NONSTANDARD SIT. AS I REFLECT ON THE EVENT, I REALIZE THAT WHILE I HAD BEEN THROUGH SOME LIGHT SIGNAL DRILLS WITH MY INSTRUCTOR DURING TRAINING AT RENTON, I HAD NEVER DONE AN APCH WITHOUT A COMRDO. I DID NOT MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS I COULD HAVE MADE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I PLAN TO DISCUSS WITH MY INSTRUCTOR HOW I CAN PREPARE FOR A SIMILAR SIT AT RENTON OR ANOTHER AIRFIELD.

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.