Lost communication radio and navigation aids on approach det in IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	171845
Time
Date	199102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : det
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : det
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2470
ASRS Report	171845
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was advised by saginaw approach my transponder had failed on approach to detroit city airport. I was cleared for the approach to ILS 15. At the marker at 3000' I was turned over to city tower and cleared to land. After the gear was lowered and I started down, I lost radio contact with city tower and at the same time I lost all navigation equipment. Also the gear lights were out and they fuel gauges were at 0. The WX at city airport was 800'. I aborted the landing and started to climb. I was on a heading of 150 degrees and was trying to get back on top. I tried to contact city tower. I could hear them calling me, but I could not answer. I also discovered my directional gyro was out, so I did not know the direction of flight. At about 9000' still in the clouds, all equipment returned to normal. Contact was made with city tower and they turned me over to detroit approach, who advised me I was west of detroit city airport. I advised detroit approach of my problem and requested a clearance to grand rapids, mi, which was granted. The WX at grand rapids had been 5000' 20 hours before. I was requested to call on landing at grand rapids, mi. On the flight to grand rapids, everything worked normally, except the radios failed once over lansing, mi, but came back on in a few seconds. On approach to grand rapids, mi,I advised them of my radio trouble and requested descent to VFR conditions. Was advised they were 1200' and 2 mi. I requested a surveillance approach. On the surveillance approach, I again lost radio and navigation, but I returned and was about to intercept ILS 8 and I made a normal landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST COM RADIO AND NAVIGATION AIDS ON APCH DET IN IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I WAS ADVISED BY SAGINAW APCH MY XPONDER HAD FAILED ON APCH TO DETROIT CITY ARPT. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH TO ILS 15. AT THE MARKER AT 3000' I WAS TURNED OVER TO CITY TWR AND CLRED TO LAND. AFTER THE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND I STARTED DOWN, I LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH CITY TWR AND AT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL NAV EQUIP. ALSO THE GEAR LIGHTS WERE OUT AND THEY FUEL GAUGES WERE AT 0. THE WX AT CITY ARPT WAS 800'. I ABORTED THE LNDG AND STARTED TO CLB. I WAS ON A HDG OF 150 DEGS AND WAS TRYING TO GET BACK ON TOP. I TRIED TO CONTACT CITY TWR. I COULD HEAR THEM CALLING ME, BUT I COULD NOT ANSWER. I ALSO DISCOVERED MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO WAS OUT, SO I DID NOT KNOW THE DIRECTION OF FLT. AT ABOUT 9000' STILL IN THE CLOUDS, ALL EQUIP RETURNED TO NORMAL. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH CITY TWR AND THEY TURNED ME OVER TO DETROIT APCH, WHO ADVISED ME I WAS W OF DETROIT CITY ARPT. I ADVISED DETROIT APCH OF MY PROB AND REQUESTED A CLRNC TO GRAND RAPIDS, MI, WHICH WAS GRANTED. THE WX AT GRAND RAPIDS HAD BEEN 5000' 20 HRS BEFORE. I WAS REQUESTED TO CALL ON LNDG AT GRAND RAPIDS, MI. ON THE FLT TO GRAND RAPIDS, EVERYTHING WORKED NORMALLY, EXCEPT THE RADIOS FAILED ONCE OVER LANSING, MI, BUT CAME BACK ON IN A FEW SECS. ON APCH TO GRAND RAPIDS, MI,I ADVISED THEM OF MY RADIO TROUBLE AND REQUESTED DSNT TO VFR CONDITIONS. WAS ADVISED THEY WERE 1200' AND 2 MI. I REQUESTED A SURVEILLANCE APCH. ON THE SURVEILLANCE APCH, I AGAIN LOST RADIO AND NAV, BUT I RETURNED AND WAS ABOUT TO INTERCEPT ILS 8 AND I MADE A NORMAL LNDG.

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.