Narrative:

The flight departed sky park airport near kingston, ny, as a flight of 2. My aircraft (#2) had north electrical system but carried a hand held transceiver. I was new to the area so it was decided to let the other pilot fly lead, navigation and communication. Aircraft #1 was an small aircraft with working navigation/communication. The pilot had several hundred hours and was local to the area. The WX at the time of departure (late afternoon) was 2-4 mi in haze. The flight seemed to progress normally for about 45 mins. The only problem was my loss of communication with lead aircraft. I just concentrated on staying in position. At time we should be getting to our destination, lead seemed to start wandering. We flew for another 20 mins or so, not getting anywhere. As the sun was soon to set, I prepared to divert to stormville airport, an uncontrolled field not far away. About this time I made visibility contact with dxr airport. Lead took us directly over the approach end of runway 17 (the active) at 1500' AGL. Due to the maneuvering I thought that lead had established communication with the tower, so I followed. Lead then flew us off to the northwest and out of the air traffic area. I was unsure what was going on but I followed anyway. I also attempted to listen on the hand held on tower frequency. Lead found himself and took off for the dxr airport. He arrived a good 2-3 mi prior to me north his haste to get down, thus I landed a few mins after sundown with out navigation lights. I was then able to get clearance from ground to taxi to the tiedown.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LT OF SMA WITHOUT RADIO FOLLOWED LEAD ACFT DEPENDING ON LEAD FOR NAVIGATION AND RADIO COM WITH DEST ARPT (DXR, CT). ENTERED AND DEPARTED ATA WITHOUT COMMUNICATING WITH TWR. LEAD FINALLY ESTABLISHING COM BUT LNDG THEN WAS AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET.

Narrative: THE FLT DEPARTED SKY PARK ARPT NEAR KINGSTON, NY, AS A FLT OF 2. MY ACFT (#2) HAD N ELECTRICAL SYS BUT CARRIED A HAND HELD TRANSCEIVER. I WAS NEW TO THE AREA SO IT WAS DECIDED TO LET THE OTHER PLT FLY LEAD, NAV AND COM. ACFT #1 WAS AN SMA WITH WORKING NAV/COM. THE PLT HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED HRS AND WAS LCL TO THE AREA. THE WX AT THE TIME OF DEP (LATE AFTERNOON) WAS 2-4 MI IN HAZE. THE FLT SEEMED TO PROGRESS NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 45 MINS. THE ONLY PROB WAS MY LOSS OF COM WITH LEAD ACFT. I JUST CONCENTRATED ON STAYING IN POS. AT TIME WE SHOULD BE GETTING TO OUR DEST, LEAD SEEMED TO START WANDERING. WE FLEW FOR ANOTHER 20 MINS OR SO, NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. AS THE SUN WAS SOON TO SET, I PREPARED TO DIVERT TO STORMVILLE ARPT, AN UNCTLED FIELD NOT FAR AWAY. ABOUT THIS TIME I MADE VIS CONTACT WITH DXR ARPT. LEAD TOOK US DIRECTLY OVER THE APCH END OF RWY 17 (THE ACTIVE) AT 1500' AGL. DUE TO THE MANEUVERING I THOUGHT THAT LEAD HAD ESTABLISHED COM WITH THE TWR, SO I FOLLOWED. LEAD THEN FLEW US OFF TO THE NW AND OUT OF THE ATA. I WAS UNSURE WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I FOLLOWED ANYWAY. I ALSO ATTEMPTED TO LISTEN ON THE HAND HELD ON TWR FREQ. LEAD FOUND HIMSELF AND TOOK OFF FOR THE DXR ARPT. HE ARRIVED A GOOD 2-3 MI PRIOR TO ME N HIS HASTE TO GET DOWN, THUS I LANDED A FEW MINS AFTER SUNDOWN WITH OUT NAV LIGHTS. I WAS THEN ABLE TO GET CLRNC FROM GND TO TAXI TO THE TIEDOWN.

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.