<< >> NASA ASRS Report 591639, August 2003

C172 pilot becomes lost, loses radio communication, and uses cell phone to obtain ATC assist for landing.

Attributes
ACN	591639
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : owb.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : owb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	591639
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The radio in the aircraft failed to transmit. Upon losing my location because of thunderstorms in the distance and poor (approximately 7 mi) visibility, I became panicked. I thought I was near ZZZ. I flew towards the city and transmitted 7600 on transponder. I flew over the city looking for the field. Since I couldn't find the airport, and thought I was low on fuel, I called auths on a cell phone and asked to be xferred to the ZZZ control tower. In actuality, I was over owensboro, I saw the field and was given light gun signals into the airport. I landed still thinking I was in ZZZ. The problem occurred on this flight because of my eagerness to get home, taking off in less than ideal conditions for a cross country, and the non-transmitting radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT BECOMES LOST, LOSES RADIO COM, AND USES CELL PHONE TO OBTAIN ATC ASSIST FOR LNDG.

Narrative: THE RADIO IN THE ACFT FAILED TO XMIT. UPON LOSING MY LOCATION BECAUSE OF TSTMS IN THE DISTANCE AND POOR (APPROX 7 MI) VISIBILITY, I BECAME PANICKED. I THOUGHT I WAS NEAR ZZZ. I FLEW TOWARDS THE CITY AND XMITTED 7600 ON XPONDER. I FLEW OVER THE CITY LOOKING FOR THE FIELD. SINCE I COULDN'T FIND THE ARPT, AND THOUGHT I WAS LOW ON FUEL, I CALLED AUTHS ON A CELL PHONE AND ASKED TO BE XFERRED TO THE ZZZ CTL TWR. IN ACTUALITY, I WAS OVER OWENSBORO, I SAW THE FIELD AND WAS GIVEN LIGHT GUN SIGNALS INTO THE ARPT. I LANDED STILL THINKING I WAS IN ZZZ. THE PROB OCCURRED ON THIS FLT BECAUSE OF MY EAGERNESS TO GET HOME, TAKING OFF IN LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR A XCOUNTRY, AND THE NON-XMITTING RADIO.

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.