Narrative:

Cross country flight to evv proceeded normally until being handed off from approach to tower at evv. One of the radio frequency switches apparently failed to make contact, and I was unable to contact the tower. Next, I attempted to use a hand held backup radio I had aboard. With it, I could hear the tower's transmission enough to know they were attempting to contact me, but was unable to understand what all they were saying due to low audio output and aircraft cabin noise. Also, I was unable to transmit because the batteries were low. While on left downwind to runway 4, I saw a flashing red light signal from the tower, and rocked my wings to acknowledge. I extended the downwind while watching for a green signal, which I never saw. At about 3 mi from the tower, I decided it would be best to land at 3EV, instead. It is an uncontrolled field, which was about a mi away at the time. It was when turning base for runway 36 at 3EV that I first noticed that the altitude was much too low -- it was about 100 ft AGL at the time. At that point, I initiated a go around and made a normal landing the next time around. The following changes would have enhanced the safety in this situation: 1) before the flight - ensure batteries in the hand held radio were fresh, or have an additional set on board. 2) during the radio problem - remember to aviate first, and then navigation/communication. Request my passenger to watch for light signals while I concentrate on flying the aircraft. Briefing my passenger on min altitude, etc, and have her help watch the gauges.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO FAILURE WHEN ATTEMPTING LNDG AT CTLED FIELD. FLASHING RED LIGHT RECEIVED. FLIES TO NON TWR ARPT NEARBY.

Narrative: XCOUNTRY FLT TO EVV PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL BEING HANDED OFF FROM APCH TO TWR AT EVV. ONE OF THE RADIO FREQ SWITCHES APPARENTLY FAILED TO MAKE CONTACT, AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE TWR. NEXT, I ATTEMPTED TO USE A HAND HELD BACKUP RADIO I HAD ABOARD. WITH IT, I COULD HEAR THE TWR'S XMISSION ENOUGH TO KNOW THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ME, BUT WAS UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THEY WERE SAYING DUE TO LOW AUDIO OUTPUT AND ACFT CABIN NOISE. ALSO, I WAS UNABLE TO XMIT BECAUSE THE BATTERIES WERE LOW. WHILE ON L DOWNWIND TO RWY 4, I SAW A FLASHING RED LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR, AND ROCKED MY WINGS TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND WHILE WATCHING FOR A GREEN SIGNAL, WHICH I NEVER SAW. AT ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE TWR, I DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO LAND AT 3EV, INSTEAD. IT IS AN UNCTLED FIELD, WHICH WAS ABOUT A MI AWAY AT THE TIME. IT WAS WHEN TURNING BASE FOR RWY 36 AT 3EV THAT I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE ALT WAS MUCH TOO LOW -- IT WAS ABOUT 100 FT AGL AT THE TIME. AT THAT POINT, I INITIATED A GAR AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG THE NEXT TIME AROUND. THE FOLLOWING CHANGES WOULD HAVE ENHANCED THE SAFETY IN THIS SITUATION: 1) BEFORE THE FLT - ENSURE BATTERIES IN THE HAND HELD RADIO WERE FRESH, OR HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SET ON BOARD. 2) DURING THE RADIO PROBLEM - REMEMBER TO AVIATE FIRST, AND THEN NAV/COM. REQUEST MY PAX TO WATCH FOR LIGHT SIGNALS WHILE I CONCENTRATE ON FLYING THE ACFT. BRIEFING MY PAX ON MIN ALT, ETC, AND HAVE HER HELP WATCH THE GAUGES.

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.