PA28 STUDENT PLT HAD VHF RADIO FAILURE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT A MIL FIELD.

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DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: STUDENT WHO OWNS HIS OWN PLANE WAS ON A XCOUNTRY FLT WHEN HIS RADIO FAILED (NAV AND COM). HE BECAME LOST AND LANDED AT A MIL ARPT. HE WAS LATER CLRED TO A NEARBY ARPT TO HAVE HIS RADIO REPAIRED (ACTUALLY A 'LOANER' WAS INSTALLED AT THAT TIME). HE RETURNED TO HIS DEP ARPT (MESQUITE; TX) WITHOUT INCIDENT. HE SQUAWKED 7600 ON THE XPONDER AND ROCKED HIS WINGS ON APCH; BUT CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT EVER RECEIVING A GREEN LIGHT. MIL ACFT WERE ACTIVE ON THE SURFACE AT THE ARPT. HOW PROB AROSE: STUDENT EXPERIENCED RADIO FAILURE AFTER TKOF AND BECAME LOST IN CIRCUMNAVING CLASS B AIRSPACE AROUND DALLAS/FT WORTH. THE STUDENT; NOT HAVING ANY OTHER ARPTS IN SIGHT; LANDED AT THE MIL STATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: STUDENT HAD BEEN BRIEFED AND ASSISTED WITH PREFLT PLANNING BY CFI ON SEP/THU/03. THIS INCLUDED INSTRUCTIONS TO FILE A FLT PLAN AND OBTAIN FLT FOLLOWING (WHICH THE STUDENT HAD DONE ON PREVIOUS DUAL XCOUNTRY FLTS). THE FLT PLANNING INCLUDED CIRCUMNAVING THE DFW AIRSPACE BY FLYING S TO A DESIGNATED POINT THEN W TO A DESIGNATED POINT AND THEN TO EASTLAND WHERE WE WOULD REFUEL. RADIO FREQS FOR THE FLT AND PRINTOUTS ON EACH ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG WERE GIVEN TO THE STUDENT. THE FLT WAS APPROVED FOR SEP/FRI/03; PENDING GOOD WX. THE STUDENT WAS GIVEN THE INSTRUCTOR'S PHONE NUMBER FOR ANY QUESTIONS; CHANGE OF PLAN; ETC. APPROPRIATE LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENTS WERE DONE FOR A STUDENT XCOUNTRY FROM MESQUITE; TX; TO FT STOCKTON; TX; ON SEP/FRI/03. THE STUDENT WAITED UNTIL SEP/SAT/03; TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE FLT WITHOUT FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. THE STUDENT DID NOT OBTAIN 'FLT FOLLOWING.' ALTHOUGH THE STUDENT DID SQUAWK 7600 AND ROCK HIS WINGS WHILE APCHING TO LAND; HE DID NOT PASS THE TWR; CIRCLE THE FIELD OR OBTAIN A GREEN LIGHT PRIOR TO LNDG. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER THE STUDENT KNEW OF HIS RADIO PROBS PRIOR TO OR SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND STILL CONTINUED THE FLT. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: THE STUDENT CALLED THE INSTRUCTOR FROM THE MIL BASE AT FT WORTH. I TALKED WITH THE CHIEF ON DUTY WHO CONFIRMED THE RADIO FAILURE AND AFTER CONFIRMING THAT THE STUDENT HAD ADEQUATE INSURANCE COVERAGE ON HIS PLANE CLRED HIM TO FLY FOR REPAIRS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: STUDENT WAS TOLD BY INSTRUCTOR TO DISCONTINUE THE TRIP TO FT STOCKTON AND RETURN TO MESQUITE (VIA LANCASTER ARPT TO CIRCUMNAV CLASS B). STUDENT WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTION IN EMER PROCS AT CTLED ARPTS. DISCUSSION OF CONDITION OF MAGNETIC COMPASS AROSE. DISCUSSION OF QUESTIONABLE JUDGEMENT POINTS WERE REVIEWED. ACFT RADIO IS BEING REPAIRED. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: PERCEPTIONS; JUDGEMENTS; DECISIONS: STUDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE TRIP ON DAY OTHER THAN WAS SIGNED OFF IN LOGBOOK (EVEN THOUGH WX WAS EXCELLENT) WITHOUT INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL. IF STUDENT HAD FILED A FLT PLAN AND OBTAINED FLT FOLLOWING THE PROB WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IF STUDENT CONTINUED OR INITIATED FLT KNOWING OF RADIO PROBS THIS WAS A JUDGEMENT ERROR. IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT THE STUDENT FELT PRESSURED TO MAKE THE TRIP BECAUSE OF BUSINESS IN FT STOCKTON; SO THIS MAY HAVE INFLUENCED HIM; INAPPROPRIATELY; TO CONTINUE THE FLT. ACTIONS OR INACTIONS: THE STUDENT DID NOT CONTACT THE FLT INSTRUCTOR WHEN THE FLT WAS DELAYED BY A DAY OR IN THE FACE OF EQUIP PROBS; BUT IN FACT WHEN QUESTIONED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE RADIOS HAD CONFIRMED EVERYTHING TO BE IN WORKING ORDER. THE STUDENT DID NOT FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTOR'S REQUIREMENTS TO FILE A FLT PLAN OR OBTAIN FLT FOLLOWING. IT IS NOT KNOWN AT WHAT POINT THE RADIO FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED; BUT IT IS QUESTIONED IF A DECISION WAS MADE TO 'PUSH ON.' FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: THERE IS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE NEED TO BE IN FT STOCKTON TOOK PRECEDENCE OVER THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A TRAINING FLT (ON THE PART OF THE STUDENT). STUDENT DID NOT PROCEED AS APPROVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR. STUDENT IN THE PAST HAD DEMONSTRATED RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS IN HIS AVIATION ACTIVITIES AS A STUDENT WITH HIS OWN AIRPLANE BY OBTAINING APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION AND ENDORSEMENTS FOR SOLO AND XCOUNTRY FLTS.