Narrative:

While operating an small aircraft rented from FBO based at hpn, I experienced a failure of the only communication radio on board. The failure occurred over bdr at 4500' MSL. After following the proper 'radio out' checklist, I proceeded to hpn. When I was 15 mins outside of hpn, I set 7700 into the transponder for 1 min, then 7600 for the remainder of the flight. I descended to 2500' MSL, below the ny, TCA, then to 1500' MSL, hpn's pattern altitude. I had departed from hpn that day and the active runway was 29, so I proceeded for straight-in for runway 29, while watching the tower for light signals. Approximately 1 mi out, I had observed a flashing light from the tower, the light appeared to be green but it was very difficult to tell. I interpreted this signal as 'do not land on runway 29, enter a right downwind for runway 34.' after entering a right downwind for runway 34, I observed a single engine aircraft 200-300' above my altitude, heading toward me 45 degree of my right, I increased my rate of descent to stay well clear of him as he passed overhead 300-400' above me. Then I entered a right base to final at which time I saw a steady green from the tower and I landed on runway 34, I turned left onto runway 29 (which is 'standard procedure') at hpn to clear the active runway as quick as possible. I held short as an small aircraft Y xed runway 29 from my right to left, then I cleared runway 29 by making a right turn on taxiway tango, I held on tango until I saw a flashing green light from the tower then I proceeded direct to FBO. During the period of radio loss in my flight, I concentrated on keep clear of other aircraft, light signals from the tower, and following the correct procedure. This was my first radio failure, and I found the procedure confusing. The flashing green light while airborne 'return for landing, to be followed by steady green', return from where? And maintaining visibility sep with other aircraft while watching for light signals in the busy ny, airspace is quite difficult. Overall, I feel that I followed the procedures correctly, and conducted the flight safely. But I also feel the radio failure procedures need to be clarified, and the light guns from the tower need to be replaced with ones that can be more easily see from the air, they looked like reflections off the glass around the tower, and the green looked almost white from a distance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOST COM RADIO OVER BDR AND CONTIUED BACK TO HPN USING LOST RADIO PROC.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING AN SMA RENTED FROM FBO BASED AT HPN, I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE ONLY COM RADIO ON BOARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED OVER BDR AT 4500' MSL. AFTER FOLLOWING THE PROPER 'RADIO OUT' CHKLIST, I PROCEEDED TO HPN. WHEN I WAS 15 MINS OUTSIDE OF HPN, I SET 7700 INTO THE XPONDER FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. I DSNDED TO 2500' MSL, BELOW THE NY, TCA, THEN TO 1500' MSL, HPN'S PATTERN ALT. I HAD DEPARTED FROM HPN THAT DAY AND THE ACTIVE RWY WAS 29, SO I PROCEEDED FOR STRAIGHT-IN FOR RWY 29, WHILE WATCHING THE TWR FOR LIGHT SIGNALS. APPROX 1 MI OUT, I HAD OBSERVED A FLASHING LIGHT FROM THE TWR, THE LIGHT APPEARED TO BE GREEN BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL. I INTERPRETED THIS SIGNAL AS 'DO NOT LAND ON RWY 29, ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34.' AFTER ENTERING A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34, I OBSERVED A SINGLE ENG ACFT 200-300' ABOVE MY ALT, HDG TOWARD ME 45 DEG OF MY R, I INCREASED MY RATE OF DSNT TO STAY WELL CLR OF HIM AS HE PASSED OVERHEAD 300-400' ABOVE ME. THEN I ENTERED A R BASE TO FINAL AT WHICH TIME I SAW A STEADY GREEN FROM THE TWR AND I LANDED ON RWY 34, I TURNED L ONTO RWY 29 (WHICH IS 'STANDARD PROC') AT HPN TO CLR THE ACTIVE RWY AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. I HELD SHORT AS AN SMA Y XED RWY 29 FROM MY R TO L, THEN I CLRED RWY 29 BY MAKING A R TURN ON TXWY TANGO, I HELD ON TANGO UNTIL I SAW A FLASHING GREEN LIGHT FROM THE TWR THEN I PROCEEDED DIRECT TO FBO. DURING THE PERIOD OF RADIO LOSS IN MY FLT, I CONCENTRATED ON KEEP CLR OF OTHER ACFT, LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR, AND FOLLOWING THE CORRECT PROC. THIS WAS MY FIRST RADIO FAILURE, AND I FOUND THE PROC CONFUSING. THE FLASHING GREEN LIGHT WHILE AIRBORNE 'RETURN FOR LNDG, TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEADY GREEN', RETURN FROM WHERE? AND MAINTAINING VIS SEP WITH OTHER ACFT WHILE WATCHING FOR LIGHT SIGNALS IN THE BUSY NY, AIRSPACE IS QUITE DIFFICULT. OVERALL, I FEEL THAT I FOLLOWED THE PROCS CORRECTLY, AND CONDUCTED THE FLT SAFELY. BUT I ALSO FEEL THE RADIO FAILURE PROCS NEED TO BE CLARIFIED, AND THE LIGHT GUNS FROM THE TWR NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONES THAT CAN BE MORE EASILY SEE FROM THE AIR, THEY LOOKED LIKE REFLECTIONS OFF THE GLASS AROUND THE TWR, AND THE GREEN LOOKED ALMOST WHITE FROM A DISTANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.