GA small aircraft experience radio failure in IMC. Pilot received flight assist using hand-held radi...

Attributes
ACN	111362
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	111362
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On preflight of a rental small aircraft a note in the log sheets listed '#2 navigation inoperative.' preflight otherwise ok. Thunderstorms were in area forecast for xd pm. I had flight planned for XA30 departure with 5 hours fuel for 1.5 hour flight. Avionics were state of the art, with RNAV, LORAN, stormscope, etc. Actual departure was near xc pm, so I was pushing it with the WX. 15 mins after departure I experienced complete radio failure in IMC conditions. Fortunately, I carry a handheld communication radio and was able to maintain contact with approach. I was vectored to a VFR field 20 NM southwest of home base, but prior to landing I advised approach of minimum fuel as fuel gauges indicated 3 hours fuel--less than predicted--and I was concerned about possible fuel loss from an open sump drain or hose leak. True, the gauges are 'only correct when reading empty,' but seeing low fuel gauges in IMC with a handheld radio with questionable battery charge was, to say the least, uncomfortable. The approach controller was terrific, even though thunderstorms were closing in and he was issuing deviations to mdw flts along with getting me on the ground. I never thought I'd find myself in a 'never again' magazine article situation, but hedging on thunderstorm activity with an inoperative component in IMC conditions was just that. Rental pilots must insist on equipment being in 100% operating order but must not blame the aircraft owner/operator for pilot 'get-there-itis' no matter how fancy the equipment. I will not get in an airplane again west/O a fully charged handheld radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA EXPERIENCE RADIO FAILURE IN IMC. PLT RECEIVED FLT ASSIST USING HAND-HELD RADIO.

Narrative: ON PREFLT OF A RENTAL SMA A NOTE IN THE LOG SHEETS LISTED '#2 NAV INOP.' PREFLT OTHERWISE OK. TSTMS WERE IN AREA FORECAST FOR XD PM. I HAD FLT PLANNED FOR XA30 DEP WITH 5 HRS FUEL FOR 1.5 HR FLT. AVIONICS WERE STATE OF THE ART, WITH RNAV, LORAN, STORMSCOPE, ETC. ACTUAL DEP WAS NEAR XC PM, SO I WAS PUSHING IT WITH THE WX. 15 MINS AFTER DEP I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE RADIO FAILURE IN IMC CONDITIONS. FORTUNATELY, I CARRY A HANDHELD COM RADIO AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH APCH. I WAS VECTORED TO A VFR FIELD 20 NM SW OF HOME BASE, BUT PRIOR TO LNDG I ADVISED APCH OF MINIMUM FUEL AS FUEL GAUGES INDICATED 3 HRS FUEL--LESS THAN PREDICTED--AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUEL LOSS FROM AN OPEN SUMP DRAIN OR HOSE LEAK. TRUE, THE GAUGES ARE 'ONLY CORRECT WHEN READING EMPTY,' BUT SEEING LOW FUEL GAUGES IN IMC WITH A HANDHELD RADIO WITH QUESTIONABLE BATTERY CHARGE WAS, TO SAY THE LEAST, UNCOMFORTABLE. THE APCH CTLR WAS TERRIFIC, EVEN THOUGH TSTMS WERE CLOSING IN AND HE WAS ISSUING DEVIATIONS TO MDW FLTS ALONG WITH GETTING ME ON THE GND. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D FIND MYSELF IN A 'NEVER AGAIN' MAGAZINE ARTICLE SITUATION, BUT HEDGING ON TSTM ACTIVITY WITH AN INOP COMPONENT IN IMC CONDITIONS WAS JUST THAT. RENTAL PLTS MUST INSIST ON EQUIPMENT BEING IN 100% OPERATING ORDER BUT MUST NOT BLAME THE ACFT OWNER/OPERATOR FOR PLT 'GET-THERE-ITIS' NO MATTER HOW FANCY THE EQUIP. I WILL NOT GET IN AN AIRPLANE AGAIN W/O A FULLY CHARGED HANDHELD RADIO.

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.

GA small aircraft experience radio failure in IMC. Pilot received flight assist using hand-held radio.