Narrative:

Approximately 40 mins into a local pleasure flight both VHF comm transmitters failed. Reception still seemed normal so I proceeded back toward the southeast VFR reporting point for centennial airport. I remained just clear of the denver TCA, squawked 7700 for 1 min then 7600 and monitored the appropriate denver approach frequency for response to my 7600 squawk. I monitored the frequency for about 20 min while circling just east of the VFR reporting point. I was hoping for a query from the controller that I could identify acknowledge and then assistance coordinating my arrival to centennial airport with tower which I was monitoring on the other receiver. Denver approach ignored the 7700/7600 squawk and I was forced to consider other alternatives. After 20 or so mins of circling my passenger who was becoming increasingly nervous because of the radio problem, began to feel ill. Centennial airport was currently using runway 17 and had heavy traffic arriving, departing, and remaining in its traffic pattern. My first consideration was to overfly the tower to try to get their attention, get a green light from them, find a way to merge into the current traffic, which I estimated to be about 10 aircraft, and land on 17L. As I started to approach the airfield there were several inbnds reporting in from the west that were directed to overfly the traffic pattern and enter left downwind for 17L. They would be flying right through the airspace which I was planning to use to attract the tower's attention. In addition there were to be two high speed arrivals to straight in's for 17L which I did not see. My passenger was becoming increasingly nauseated and also began to feel an onset of diarrhea. At this point I considered the possibility of landing on runway 28 which was not being used at the present time for either arrivals or departures (runway 10). Based upon the fact that I had good radio reception and could absolutely ascertain that there was no conflict with a runway 28 arrival. I could also perform this expeditiously and remain well below any traffic currently in or entering the pattern for either 17 runway. I decided that this was the safest course of action so I proceeded in under the traffic pattern and landed on runway 28. I did not receive any light signals from the tower. The landing was accomplished without incident. I have two concerns in writing this report. 1) that denver approach made no effort to respond to my 7700/7600 squawk. Even though I remained just outside the denver TCA I was well within their radar coverage and their frequency was not overly busy. 2) that the prescribed radio-out procedure may not be the best option in all cases.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS TRANSMITTER FAILURE. UNABLE TO GET RESPONSE COM OR LIGHT FROM TWR. LANDS ON RWY NOT IN USE.

Narrative: APPROX 40 MINS INTO A LOCAL PLEASURE FLT BOTH VHF COMM TRANSMITTERS FAILED. RECEPTION STILL SEEMED NORMAL SO I PROCEEDED BACK TOWARD THE SE VFR REPORTING POINT FOR CENTENNIAL ARPT. I REMAINED JUST CLEAR OF THE DENVER TCA, SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN THEN 7600 AND MONITORED THE APPROPRIATE DENVER APCH FREQ FOR RESPONSE TO MY 7600 SQUAWK. I MONITORED THE FREQ FOR ABOUT 20 MIN WHILE CIRCLING JUST E OF THE VFR REPORTING POINT. I WAS HOPING FOR A QUERY FROM THE CTLR THAT I COULD IDENT ACKNOWLEDGE AND THEN ASSISTANCE COORDINATING MY ARRIVAL TO CENTENNIAL ARPT WITH TWR WHICH I WAS MONITORING ON THE OTHER RECEIVER. DENVER APCH IGNORED THE 7700/7600 SQUAWK AND I WAS FORCED TO CONSIDER OTHER ALTERNATIVES. AFTER 20 OR SO MINS OF CIRCLING MY PAX WHO WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY NERVOUS BECAUSE OF THE RADIO PROBLEM, BEGAN TO FEEL ILL. CENTENNIAL ARPT WAS CURRENTLY USING RWY 17 AND HAD HEAVY TFC ARRIVING, DEPARTING, AND REMAINING IN ITS TFC PATTERN. MY FIRST CONSIDERATION WAS TO OVERFLY THE TWR TO TRY TO GET THEIR ATTN, GET A GREEN LIGHT FROM THEM, FIND A WAY TO MERGE INTO THE CURRENT TFC, WHICH I ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 10 ACFT, AND LAND ON 17L. AS I STARTED TO APCH THE AIRFIELD THERE WERE SEVERAL INBNDS REPORTING IN FROM THE W THAT WERE DIRECTED TO OVERFLY THE TFC PATTERN AND ENTER LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 17L. THEY WOULD BE FLYING RIGHT THROUGH THE AIRSPACE WHICH I WAS PLANNING TO USE TO ATTRACT THE TWR'S ATTN. IN ADDITION THERE WERE TO BE TWO HIGH SPEED ARRIVALS TO STRAIGHT IN'S FOR 17L WHICH I DID NOT SEE. MY PASSENGER WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY NAUSEATED AND ALSO BEGAN TO FEEL AN ONSET OF DIARRHEA. AT THIS POINT I CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF LNDG ON RWY 28 WHICH WAS NOT BEING USED AT THE PRESENT TIME FOR EITHER ARRIVALS OR DEPARTURES (RWY 10). BASED UPON THE FACT THAT I HAD GOOD RADIO RECEPTION AND COULD ABSOLUTELY ASCERTAIN THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH A RWY 28 ARRIVAL. I COULD ALSO PERFORM THIS EXPEDITIOUSLY AND REMAIN WELL BELOW ANY TFC CURRENTLY IN OR ENTERING THE PATTERN FOR EITHER 17 RWY. I DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION SO I PROCEEDED IN UNDER THE TFC PATTERN AND LANDED ON RWY 28. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR. THE LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE TWO CONCERNS IN WRITING THIS REPORT. 1) THAT DENVER APCH MADE NO EFFORT TO RESPOND TO MY 7700/7600 SQUAWK. EVEN THOUGH I REMAINED JUST OUTSIDE THE DENVER TCA I WAS WELL WITHIN THEIR RADAR COVERAGE AND THEIR FREQ WAS NOT OVERLY BUSY. 2) THAT THE PRESCRIBED RADIO-OUT PROC MAY NOT BE THE BEST OPTION IN ALL CASES.

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.