A PLT OF A PVT ACFT ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT A XPONDER; AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COMS; CITING AN INABILITY TO ACTIVATE LIGHTS AT DEST AS THE REASON FOR THE DIVERSION.
Synopsis
A PLT OF A PVT ACFT ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT A XPONDER; AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COMS; CITING AN INABILITY TO ACTIVATE LIGHTS AT DEST AS THE REASON FOR THE DIVERSION.
Narrative
WHILE ENRTE FROM ST MARIE; WA; TO RITZVILLE; WA; THE OP OF THE COM RADIO BECAME QUESTIONABLE. SINCE THE LIGHTS AT RITZVILLE WERE ACTIVATED BY RADIO XMISSIONS; THE ABILITY TO ACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS WAS ALSO QUESTIONABLE. SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE FUEL IN ST MARIE; I DID NOT FEEL I COULD SAFELY FLY FROM RITZVILLE TO THE CLOSEST RWY WITH LIGHTS (GEG) IF I FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE LIGHTS. I DECIDED TO DIVERT SO SPOKANE. AS I APCHED GEG; I WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH APCH BECAUSE I COULD NOT USE THEIR FREQS WITH THE 90 CHANNEL RADIO. I WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL WITH MY ATTEMPTS TO RAISE THE TWR ON 118.3. SINCE THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER; I DECIDED THE BETTER COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO PROCEED TO FELTS FIELD (EVEN THOUGH THEIR TWR FREQ WAS 134.4; NOT AVAILABLE TO ME). MY FLT GUIDE SHOWED THE TWR WOULD BE OPEN UNTIL XA00 HRS. I ANNOUNCED MY ARR ON GND 121.7 AND LANDED ON RWY 21R. I HAD HOPED GEG WOULD HAVE HEARD MY XMISSIONS OR NOTICED MY LIGHTS AND ALERTED FELTS FIELD. AS IT TURNED OUT; FELTS TWR WAS CLOSED (AT XX00 HRS) AND GEG CLAIMED I WAS WITHIN THEIR 5 MI AIRSPACE AND DID NOT HEAR MY RADIO CALLS. HAD I KNOWN FELTS TWR CLOSED AT XX00 THE ENTIRE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WITH THE COM FAILURE AND FUEL SIT I FEEL I TOOK THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.