Narrative:

I was cleared for takeoff on runway 15. I advised tower that I would be making l-hand pattern for several touch and goes. Prior to turning left for a crosswind leg I thought tower was trying to contact me but their transmission was garbled -- possibly stepped on by another aircraft. Several times I requested 'say again.' tower conversation still not understandable. (My non-pilot passenger commented on this.) I was cleared for a touch and go on runway 15; responded; made the landing and took off. While on the crosswind leg it occurred to me that there was a radio problem. The tower kept calling me but did not respond to my xmissions. While on the left downwind leg I switched mikes and attempted to talk to the tower again. When I pressed the transmit button I could hear the click in my headphones and the letter 'T' lit on the face of the radio panel. I checked the circuit breakers but none had popped. I no longer heard the tower and the intercom (which is part of the communication radio system) between myself and my passenger was also inoperative. While on the second final approach; I noticed another aircraft on the runway and went around. It occurred to me to switch my transponder to 7700 but because of my assigned ADIZ squawk I deferred that action to negate the possibility of scrambling the war machine and being shot down by friendly A10's at the airport where I've been renting hangars for more than 20 yrs. On my third final approach I landed and slowly taxied to a position in front of the tower; opened the canopy and with hand signals indicated to the tower that my radio was inoperative; shut down; deplaned and while walking toward the building was intercepted by a gentleman who advised me that the tower wished to talk to me. This I did from inside the FBO. I believe that; considering the circumstances; my actions were reasonable; prudent; proper and safe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA HAS VHF COM PROB IN TFC PATTERN AT MTN.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 15. I ADVISED TWR THAT I WOULD BE MAKING L-HAND PATTERN FOR SEVERAL TOUCH AND GOES. PRIOR TO TURNING L FOR A XWIND LEG I THOUGHT TWR WAS TRYING TO CONTACT ME BUT THEIR XMISSION WAS GARBLED -- POSSIBLY STEPPED ON BY ANOTHER ACFT. SEVERAL TIMES I REQUESTED 'SAY AGAIN.' TWR CONVERSATION STILL NOT UNDERSTANDABLE. (MY NON-PLT PAX COMMENTED ON THIS.) I WAS CLRED FOR A TOUCH AND GO ON RWY 15; RESPONDED; MADE THE LNDG AND TOOK OFF. WHILE ON THE XWIND LEG IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A RADIO PROB. THE TWR KEPT CALLING ME BUT DID NOT RESPOND TO MY XMISSIONS. WHILE ON THE L DOWNWIND LEG I SWITCHED MIKES AND ATTEMPTED TO TALK TO THE TWR AGAIN. WHEN I PRESSED THE XMIT BUTTON I COULD HEAR THE CLICK IN MY HEADPHONES AND THE LETTER 'T' LIT ON THE FACE OF THE RADIO PANEL. I CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BUT NONE HAD POPPED. I NO LONGER HEARD THE TWR AND THE INTERCOM (WHICH IS PART OF THE COM RADIO SYS) BTWN MYSELF AND MY PAX WAS ALSO INOP. WHILE ON THE SECOND FINAL APCH; I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT ON THE RWY AND WENT AROUND. IT OCCURRED TO ME TO SWITCH MY XPONDER TO 7700 BUT BECAUSE OF MY ASSIGNED ADIZ SQUAWK I DEFERRED THAT ACTION TO NEGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF SCRAMBLING THE WAR MACHINE AND BEING SHOT DOWN BY FRIENDLY A10'S AT THE ARPT WHERE I'VE BEEN RENTING HANGARS FOR MORE THAN 20 YRS. ON MY THIRD FINAL APCH I LANDED AND SLOWLY TAXIED TO A POS IN FRONT OF THE TWR; OPENED THE CANOPY AND WITH HAND SIGNALS INDICATED TO THE TWR THAT MY RADIO WAS INOP; SHUT DOWN; DEPLANED AND WHILE WALKING TOWARD THE BUILDING WAS INTERCEPTED BY A GENTLEMAN WHO ADVISED ME THAT THE TWR WISHED TO TALK TO ME. THIS I DID FROM INSIDE THE FBO. I BELIEVE THAT; CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES; MY ACTIONS WERE REASONABLE; PRUDENT; PROPER AND SAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.