GA small aircraft radio failure followed by pilot getting lost.

Attributes
ACN	98416
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : laf
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : laf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 120
ASRS Report	98416
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon approaching chicago area enroute to gyy gary airport failed to receive permission to enter. Tried both radio--turn east to stay clear. Trying radio again. Turn through downwind 180 degree heading. In heading south couldn't locate my position. The wind's had pushed us farther east than I realized. Put in 7700 failed to change after one min. Upon coming in sight of an airport--lowered wheel turn on landing lights check out area. Came into a brief strong turbulence. Received green light and landed in laf. Note we need a way to communicate if radio transmitter's fail and lost. Like code and listening on 121.5? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: learned that on arrival laf he was met by a reception party from laf tower probably because of the 7700 squawk. After explaining the air force base that had his squawk of the problem they were satisfied. Laf tower was unhappy because he had flown across their airport at low altitude but were apparently not going to take any action. Knew he wanted to stay clear of chicago area west of sbn. Tried to raise ZAU and ord approach but apparently radio communication had failed. When realized did not know where was put dnv VOR on navigation set and was heading for dnv when saw airport which turned out to be laf and landed to find out where he was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA RADIO FAILURE FOLLOWED BY PLT GETTING LOST.

Narrative: UPON APPROACHING CHICAGO AREA ENROUTE TO GYY GARY AIRPORT FAILED TO RECEIVE PERMISSION TO ENTER. TRIED BOTH RADIO--TURN EAST TO STAY CLEAR. TRYING RADIO AGAIN. TURN THROUGH DOWNWIND 180 DEG HEADING. IN HEADING SOUTH COULDN'T LOCATE MY POSITION. THE WIND'S HAD PUSHED US FARTHER EAST THAN I REALIZED. PUT IN 7700 FAILED TO CHANGE AFTER ONE MIN. UPON COMING IN SIGHT OF AN AIRPORT--LOWERED WHEEL TURN ON LANDING LIGHTS CHECK OUT AREA. CAME INTO A BRIEF STRONG TURBULENCE. RECEIVED GREEN LIGHT AND LANDED IN LAF. NOTE WE NEED A WAY TO COMMUNICATE IF RADIO TRANSMITTER'S FAIL AND LOST. LIKE CODE AND LISTENING ON 121.5? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: LEARNED THAT ON ARRIVAL LAF HE WAS MET BY A RECEPTION PARTY FROM LAF TWR PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE 7700 SQUAWK. AFTER EXPLAINING THE AIR FORCE BASE THAT HAD HIS SQUAWK OF THE PROBLEM THEY WERE SATISFIED. LAF TWR WAS UNHAPPY BECAUSE HE HAD FLOWN ACROSS THEIR ARPT AT LOW ALTITUDE BUT WERE APPARENTLY NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ACTION. KNEW HE WANTED TO STAY CLEAR OF CHICAGO AREA WEST OF SBN. TRIED TO RAISE ZAU AND ORD APCH BUT APPARENTLY RADIO COM HAD FAILED. WHEN REALIZED DID NOT KNOW WHERE WAS PUT DNV VOR ON NAV SET AND WAS HEADING FOR DNV WHEN SAW ARPT WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE LAF AND LANDED TO FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.