Narrative:

Flying in IMC on 274 degree right from psp, arrived at deway intersection (determined by 51 degree right from homeland VOR) on V388. Flight plan called for a course change to the 252 degree right from pdz. At the same time, I was handed off from psp approach to ont approach. I was unable to contact ont approach after calling them 3-4 times. Also, I was not receiving pdz VOR. I began a left turn to return to psp after 1-2 mins. Ont approach called and advised me to turn right to 260 degrees. They then asked my heading. I replied 110 degrees. They asked 'why?' I replied, 'not receiving pdz.' during this time I had encountered some turbulence and my altitude dropped to 9500' for several seconds, I corrected and overshot to approximately 10300', then leveled off at 10000'. Ont approach asked if I was having trouble maintaining altitude, and I replied 'not at this time.' I few mins later I began to receive pdz on my navs. The flight continued west/O further incident. Upon landing I was requested to call TRACON. A SIGMET and airmet was in effect a few hours later re: low level wind shear and moderate to strong turbulence, especially in the mountain passes (this incident occurred in a mountain pass). In retrospect, I probably should have continued on my assigned heading, even west/O receiving the VOR and continued trying to contact ont before beginning a turn to return to psp. Also closer attention should have been paid to all INS (especially altitude) during the crisis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he realizes now that he should have continued on assigned route. Hesitant because he knew it would be IMC all the way to destination and thought he had no navigation or communication. No further FAA follow up at this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC UNABLE RADIO CONTACT ON HANDOFF, UNABLE TO RECEIVE VOR. TURNED AROUND.

Narrative: FLYING IN IMC ON 274 DEG R FROM PSP, ARRIVED AT DEWAY INTXN (DETERMINED BY 51 DEG R FROM HOMELAND VOR) ON V388. FLT PLAN CALLED FOR A COURSE CHANGE TO THE 252 DEG R FROM PDZ. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS HANDED OFF FROM PSP APCH TO ONT APCH. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ONT APCH AFTER CALLING THEM 3-4 TIMES. ALSO, I WAS NOT RECEIVING PDZ VOR. I BEGAN A LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO PSP AFTER 1-2 MINS. ONT APCH CALLED AND ADVISED ME TO TURN RIGHT TO 260 DEGS. THEY THEN ASKED MY HDG. I REPLIED 110 DEGS. THEY ASKED 'WHY?' I REPLIED, 'NOT RECEIVING PDZ.' DURING THIS TIME I HAD ENCOUNTERED SOME TURB AND MY ALT DROPPED TO 9500' FOR SEVERAL SECS, I CORRECTED AND OVERSHOT TO APPROX 10300', THEN LEVELED OFF AT 10000'. ONT APCH ASKED IF I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALT, AND I REPLIED 'NOT AT THIS TIME.' I FEW MINS LATER I BEGAN TO RECEIVE PDZ ON MY NAVS. THE FLT CONTINUED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON LNDG I WAS REQUESTED TO CALL TRACON. A SIGMET AND AIRMET WAS IN EFFECT A FEW HRS LATER RE: LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AND MODERATE TO STRONG TURB, ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES (THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A MOUNTAIN PASS). IN RETROSPECT, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED ON MY ASSIGNED HDG, EVEN W/O RECEIVING THE VOR AND CONTINUED TRYING TO CONTACT ONT BEFORE BEGINNING A TURN TO RETURN TO PSP. ALSO CLOSER ATTN SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID TO ALL INS (ESPECIALLY ALT) DURING THE CRISIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE REALIZES NOW THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED ON ASSIGNED ROUTE. HESITANT BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WOULD BE IMC ALL THE WAY TO DEST AND THOUGHT HE HAD NO NAV OR COM. NO FURTHER FAA FOLLOW UP AT THIS TIME.

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.