FLT INSTRUCTOR RETURNING FROM A LCL AREA TRAINING FLT LOST RADIO COM RESULTING IN PENETRATION OF AN ATA PRIOR TO REESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

Date: 1994-01 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-unspecified|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

FLT INSTRUCTOR RETURNING FROM A LCL AREA TRAINING FLT LOST RADIO COM RESULTING IN PENETRATION OF AN ATA PRIOR TO REESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative

THIS FLT WAS A LCL AREA TRAINING FLT DEPARTING FLL. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL DEP AND UNEVENTFUL TRAINING FLT; I NOTICED WX CONDITIONS DETERIORATE DUE TO A FORECASTED COLD FRONT CLOSING IN ON THE AREA. HAVING NOTICED THIS; I DECIDED TO TERMINATE OUR FLT AND RETURN TO OUR BASE EARLY. AT THIS POINT; I TRIED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH FLL 15 MI NW OF THE ARPT; ONLY TO FIND NO RESPONSE. HAVING TRIED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND OTHER LCL FREQS; I DECIDED THAT ENTERING CLASS C AIRSPACE WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA AND TURNED TOWARDS FT LAUDERDALE EXEC. STILL TRYING TO CONTACT THEM ON THEIR FREQ 120.90 AND MAINTAINING 2500 FT TO AVOID TFC PATTERN ALT; I EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO CONTACT THEM 1 MI S; AND AT THIS POINT; BARELY MAINTAINING VFR AT 2500 FT. REQUESTED A TOUCH AND GO TO ESTABLISH THAT MY RADIOS WERE NOW OPERATIONAL PRIOR TO RETURNING TO FLL. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS RPT IS SIMPLE; I SHOULD HAVE SQUAWKED MY RADIO FAILURE INSTEAD OF ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TALK. ALTHOUGH THE CTLRS WERE VERY UNDERSTANDING FOLLOWING MY VOLUNTARY PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THEM; BEAR IN MIND ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT A RADIO CAN CAUSE CHAOS AT A BUSY AIRFIELD.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.