PA28 pilot diverted to a non tower airport when his VHF communication transmitter failed. He ran off...

Attributes
ACN	579170
Time
Date	200304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jgg.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18.3 flight time total : 584.4 flight time type : 59.2
ASRS Report	579170
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My radios were not transmitting. I could not raise phf (my intended destination), so I chose to go to jgg. At jgg I could not get the runway lights to come on (neither could 2 people on the ground). I chose to land without the runway lights. After a low approach, I came back around to land. The runway was not visible until my landing light illuminated the runway 31 identify. At that point, I descended to land. I landed long, but could not see beyond my landing light. With full brakes, I saw the end of the runway approaching and chose to run off the end onto the grass overrun area. I then taxied back to parking with no damage to my aircraft. Contributing factors: loss of radio communication, inability to turn on the runway lights at jgg. Night, with no lighting on airfield at runway end. Visibility on the an attempted go around could be fatal, with a hill and trees not too far off the end of the runway. Finding the approach end of the runway was very difficult. Corrective actions: fix the aircraft radios.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT DIVERTED TO A NON TWR ARPT WHEN HIS VHF COM XMITTER FAILED. HE RAN OFF THE FAR END OF THE RWY BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE PLT CTLED RWY LIGHTS AT THE DIVERSION ARPT.

Narrative: MY RADIOS WERE NOT XMITTING. I COULD NOT RAISE PHF (MY INTENDED DEST), SO I CHOSE TO GO TO JGG. AT JGG I COULD NOT GET THE RWY LIGHTS TO COME ON (NEITHER COULD 2 PEOPLE ON THE GND). I CHOSE TO LAND WITHOUT THE RWY LIGHTS. AFTER A LOW APCH, I CAME BACK AROUND TO LAND. THE RWY WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL MY LNDG LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE RWY 31 IDENT. AT THAT POINT, I DSNDED TO LAND. I LANDED LONG, BUT COULD NOT SEE BEYOND MY LNDG LIGHT. WITH FULL BRAKES, I SAW THE END OF THE RWY APCHING AND CHOSE TO RUN OFF THE END ONTO THE GRASS OVERRUN AREA. I THEN TAXIED BACK TO PARKING WITH NO DAMAGE TO MY ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LOSS OF RADIO COM, INABILITY TO TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS AT JGG. NIGHT, WITH NO LIGHTING ON AIRFIELD AT RWY END. VISIBILITY ON THE AN ATTEMPTED GAR COULD BE FATAL, WITH A HILL AND TREES NOT TOO FAR OFF THE END OF THE RWY. FINDING THE APCH END OF THE RWY WAS VERY DIFFICULT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: FIX THE ACFT RADIOS.

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.

PA28 pilot diverted to a non tower airport when his VHF communication transmitter failed. He ran off the far end of the runway because he was unable to activate the pilot controled runway lights at the diversion airport.