Narrative:

On an IFR flight from X41 to pdk. In atl I checked pdk ATIS information and had 1700' and 2 mi. As I started the approach the ATIS updated to the conditions stated above. Inside the OM my #1 navigation, localizer and G/south became intermittent and I executed a missed approach. During vectoring by atl approach, I lost contact intermittently with atl approach. (They relayed instructions via other aircraft.) due to heavy traffic, we were kept north of the field at 3000' MSL and experienced moderate to severe turbulence. Both fuel gauges indicated in the red, and I requested immediate vectors to the airport via the most direct route knowing that this would take some time in the face of a 42 KT headwind. We also experienced a complete failure of localizer and G/south leaving no option but to attempt an approach. I asked for and received vectors from pdk tower and landed west/O incident. I fueled and discovered I had 9 gals usable still aboard, so I had my IFR minimums, but I wasn't aware of it by reference to the gauges. I decided to exceed the localizer only minimums as the G/south failure, fuel indication and severe WX seemed to offer no alternative. I feel the failure to update the ATIS immediately painted me into a corner. I had also checked atl WX with macon approach and was given 1700' and 2 mi. To get such a drastic change 10.1 NM from T/D is a bit late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOST NAVIGATION RADIOS ON APCH TO PDK. PLT GOT FLT ASSIST FROM TWR AND WAS VECTORED FOR AN APCH. WX WAS BELOW WX MINIMUMS FOR NDB APCH.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM X41 TO PDK. IN ATL I CHKED PDK ATIS INFO AND HAD 1700' AND 2 MI. AS I STARTED THE APCH THE ATIS UPDATED TO THE CONDITIONS STATED ABOVE. INSIDE THE OM MY #1 NAV, LOC AND G/S BECAME INTERMITTENT AND I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. DURING VECTORING BY ATL APCH, I LOST CONTACT INTERMITTENTLY WITH ATL APCH. (THEY RELAYED INSTRUCTIONS VIA OTHER ACFT.) DUE TO HEAVY TFC, WE WERE KEPT N OF THE FIELD AT 3000' MSL AND EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. BOTH FUEL GAUGES INDICATED IN THE RED, AND I REQUESTED IMMEDIATE VECTORS TO THE ARPT VIA THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE KNOWING THAT THIS WOULD TAKE SOME TIME IN THE FACE OF A 42 KT HEADWIND. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF LOC AND G/S LEAVING NO OPTION BUT TO ATTEMPT AN APCH. I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED VECTORS FROM PDK TWR AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT. I FUELED AND DISCOVERED I HAD 9 GALS USABLE STILL ABOARD, SO I HAD MY IFR MINIMUMS, BUT I WASN'T AWARE OF IT BY REF TO THE GAUGES. I DECIDED TO EXCEED THE LOC ONLY MINIMUMS AS THE G/S FAILURE, FUEL INDICATION AND SEVERE WX SEEMED TO OFFER NO ALTERNATIVE. I FEEL THE FAILURE TO UPDATE THE ATIS IMMEDIATELY PAINTED ME INTO A CORNER. I HAD ALSO CHKED ATL WX WITH MACON APCH AND WAS GIVEN 1700' AND 2 MI. TO GET SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE 10.1 NM FROM T/D IS A BIT LATE.

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.