Narrative:

I was the PIC of PA28-161 on a localizer runway 36 approach to napa county (apc). After handoff from approach to tower, tower directed me to report passing lylly. I reached lylly and reported it. Tower responded with a transmission which was unreadable. I asked tower to repeat. That transmission was also unreadable. I squawked NORDO (7600) and flew down the east side of runway 36 with landing light on, rocking wings. I saw 1 aircraft that appeared to be left base for runway 36, so I made a crosswind turn to the left, across the departure end of runway 36 and entered a left pattern for runway 36. (At the time I went NORDO, I did not have the ATIS. Approach had given me the altimeter, and told me to expect localizer runway 36 approach.) in the left downwind for runway 36, I saw a cessna flying slightly higher in the opposite direction. I wondered why tower would clear aircraft to fly in the pattern with a NORDO aircraft. The aircraft would not have been landing runway 18, as the winds had been shifting, favoring runway 36 or runway 24. I did not see an aldis lamp, but continued with my pattern, base and final, broadcasting my intentions in the blind. I landed on runway 36 and taxied clear, crossing runway 36R (off duty) and taxiing to the transient. The aircraft alternator seemed to have failed based on later investigation. I think it would be better to keep aircraft with operable radios out of the pattern and class D airspace when NORDO aircraft are in the class D airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA28 SUFFERED LOSS OF ALL COM ON APCH TO APC IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. SQUAWKED 7600 AND LANDED VFR. TWR DID NOT ISSUE LIGHT SIGNALS NOR OTHERWISE RESPOND TO HIS ENTREATIES.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF PA28-161 ON A LOC RWY 36 APCH TO NAPA COUNTY (APC). AFTER HDOF FROM APCH TO TWR, TWR DIRECTED ME TO RPT PASSING LYLLY. I REACHED LYLLY AND RPTED IT. TWR RESPONDED WITH A XMISSION WHICH WAS UNREADABLE. I ASKED TWR TO REPEAT. THAT XMISSION WAS ALSO UNREADABLE. I SQUAWKED NORDO (7600) AND FLEW DOWN THE E SIDE OF RWY 36 WITH LNDG LIGHT ON, ROCKING WINGS. I SAW 1 ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE L BASE FOR RWY 36, SO I MADE A XWIND TURN TO THE L, ACROSS THE DEP END OF RWY 36 AND ENTERED A L PATTERN FOR RWY 36. (AT THE TIME I WENT NORDO, I DID NOT HAVE THE ATIS. APCH HAD GIVEN ME THE ALTIMETER, AND TOLD ME TO EXPECT LOC RWY 36 APCH.) IN THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36, I SAW A CESSNA FLYING SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I WONDERED WHY TWR WOULD CLR ACFT TO FLY IN THE PATTERN WITH A NORDO ACFT. THE ACFT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LNDG RWY 18, AS THE WINDS HAD BEEN SHIFTING, FAVORING RWY 36 OR RWY 24. I DID NOT SEE AN ALDIS LAMP, BUT CONTINUED WITH MY PATTERN, BASE AND FINAL, BROADCASTING MY INTENTIONS IN THE BLIND. I LANDED ON RWY 36 AND TAXIED CLR, XING RWY 36R (OFF DUTY) AND TAXIING TO THE TRANSIENT. THE ACFT ALTERNATOR SEEMED TO HAVE FAILED BASED ON LATER INVESTIGATION. I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO KEEP ACFT WITH OPERABLE RADIOS OUT OF THE PATTERN AND CLASS D AIRSPACE WHEN NORDO ACFT ARE IN THE CLASS D AIRSPACE.

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.