Narrative:

1092.5 hours of my total flying time (or at least 90% of it) has been in an small aircraft type X. However, on the morning of oct/fri/89 I was checked out in the small aircraft type Y. Subsequent to the 4 hours of instruction I headed for home planning my first stop and over-night at ft smith, ar. During the flts in the morning, the instructor wore the headset and handled all radio communications. When I left muscle shoals, al, I simply keyed the microphone and talked to the FSS attendant. Once I was in the air I switched frequencys to 120.8 as the instructor had told me to do to pick up ZME. I always fly VFR with flight following if possible, and that is the reason I filed no flight plan. However, I could not contact center. So, I looked in my book and called every frequency listed for ZME, I got no response even though I could hear them on some of the frequencys. I decided to land at little rock rather than go on to ft smith because of no radio contact. I was switching radios and frequencys and before I knew it I was inside the arsa. Suddenly I was receiving a controller. I immediately told him I needed help. He asked what kind of help did I need. I told him to please stay on the frequency because I was having radio problems. He stayed with me and gave me some vectors which I tried to execute properly (he told me on the phone that I hadn't). As soon as I was on the ground I had the avionics people check out the radios. They found that one did not transmit at all and the other would, providing the audio switch was not on 'both'. Had I become more familiar with the radio equipment before starting out this infraction never would have occurred. I'm sorry about any problems I may have caused and I certainly don't ever expect anything like it to happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEWLY CHECKED OUT ON ANOTHER TYPE SMA, PLT PENETRATES AN ARSA ON HIS WAY HOME. CITES RADIO PROBLEMS AND DIFFERENT TYPE CONTROL SWITCHES.

Narrative: 1092.5 HRS OF MY TOTAL FLYING TIME (OR AT LEAST 90% OF IT) HAS BEEN IN AN SMA TYPE X. HOWEVER, ON THE MORNING OF OCT/FRI/89 I WAS CHECKED OUT IN THE SMA TYPE Y. SUBSEQUENT TO THE 4 HRS OF INSTRUCTION I HEADED FOR HOME PLANNING MY FIRST STOP AND OVER-NIGHT AT FT SMITH, AR. DURING THE FLTS IN THE MORNING, THE INSTRUCTOR WORE THE HEADSET AND HANDLED ALL RADIO COMS. WHEN I LEFT MUSCLE SHOALS, AL, I SIMPLY KEYED THE MICROPHONE AND TALKED TO THE FSS ATTENDANT. ONCE I WAS IN THE AIR I SWITCHED FREQS TO 120.8 AS THE INSTRUCTOR HAD TOLD ME TO DO TO PICK UP ZME. I ALWAYS FLY VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING IF POSSIBLE, AND THAT IS THE REASON I FILED NO FLT PLAN. HOWEVER, I COULD NOT CONTACT CENTER. SO, I LOOKED IN MY BOOK AND CALLED EVERY FREQ LISTED FOR ZME, I GOT NO RESPONSE EVEN THOUGH I COULD HEAR THEM ON SOME OF THE FREQS. I DECIDED TO LAND AT LITTLE ROCK RATHER THAN GO ON TO FT SMITH BECAUSE OF NO RADIO CONTACT. I WAS SWITCHING RADIOS AND FREQS AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS INSIDE THE ARSA. SUDDENLY I WAS RECEIVING A CTLR. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM I NEEDED HELP. HE ASKED WHAT KIND OF HELP DID I NEED. I TOLD HIM TO PLEASE STAY ON THE FREQ BECAUSE I WAS HAVING RADIO PROBLEMS. HE STAYED WITH ME AND GAVE ME SOME VECTORS WHICH I TRIED TO EXECUTE PROPERLY (HE TOLD ME ON THE PHONE THAT I HADN'T). AS SOON AS I WAS ON THE GND I HAD THE AVIONICS PEOPLE CHECK OUT THE RADIOS. THEY FOUND THAT ONE DID NOT XMIT AT ALL AND THE OTHER WOULD, PROVIDING THE AUDIO SWITCH WAS NOT ON 'BOTH'. HAD I BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE RADIO EQUIPMENT BEFORE STARTING OUT THIS INFRACTION NEVER WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I'M SORRY ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS I MAY HAVE CAUSED AND I CERTAINLY DON'T EVER EXPECT ANYTHING LIKE IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.