Small aircraft on IFR flight plan has radio failure, unable to transmit. Squawked 7700 then 7600.

Attributes
ACN	194515
Time
Date	199111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jvl
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rfd tower : jvl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	194515
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I took off from msn for jvl on an IFR flight plan. Everything went smoothly until shortly after I was handed off to rfd approach. The controller asked me to identify. Next he told me to descend to 2700 pilot's discretion. I responded to both requests. He further descended me to 2500, airport elevation, 1130, 5 mi and gave me a heading to put the airport at 12 O'clock. I stated not yet in sight. He did not respond. I further stated because of the haze I did not have the airport in sight. He asked me to identify if I heard him. I suddenly saw the airport and reported. He said I have your identify and you have the airport in sight? I replied, but received no response. I was just thinking about lining up for runway 22 and expected to be told to contact jvl tower. I called again, turned to a heading of 320 degrees and began to climb to 4000 ft to get on top of the air traffic area and outside its boundaries. At the same time I squawked 7700-7600. I was listening on both rfd approach frequency and jvl tower frequency but heard nothing. I was also digging out my portable radio from the back seat. I suddenly heard jvl tower controller tell me to rock my wings if I could hear them. I did so and they cleared me to land behind another aircraft on runway 22. No other problems. I will put my portable in my front seat ready at hand after this experience!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN HAS RADIO FAILURE, UNABLE TO XMIT. SQUAWKED 7700 THEN 7600.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM MSN FOR JVL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY UNTIL SHORTLY AFTER I WAS HANDED OFF TO RFD APCH. THE CTLR ASKED ME TO IDENT. NEXT HE TOLD ME TO DSND TO 2700 PLT'S DISCRETION. I RESPONDED TO BOTH REQUESTS. HE FURTHER DSNDED ME TO 2500, ARPT ELEVATION, 1130, 5 MI AND GAVE ME A HDG TO PUT THE ARPT AT 12 O'CLOCK. I STATED NOT YET IN SIGHT. HE DID NOT RESPOND. I FURTHER STATED BECAUSE OF THE HAZE I DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE ASKED ME TO IDENT IF I HEARD HIM. I SUDDENLY SAW THE ARPT AND RPTED. HE SAID I HAVE YOUR IDENT AND YOU HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT? I REPLIED, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT LINING UP FOR RWY 22 AND EXPECTED TO BE TOLD TO CONTACT JVL TWR. I CALLED AGAIN, TURNED TO A HDG OF 320 DEGS AND BEGAN TO CLB TO 4000 FT TO GET ON TOP OF THE ATA AND OUTSIDE ITS BOUNDARIES. AT THE SAME TIME I SQUAWKED 7700-7600. I WAS LISTENING ON BOTH RFD APCH FREQ AND JVL TWR FREQ BUT HEARD NOTHING. I WAS ALSO DIGGING OUT MY PORTABLE RADIO FROM THE BACK SEAT. I SUDDENLY HEARD JVL TWR CTLR TELL ME TO ROCK MY WINGS IF I COULD HEAR THEM. I DID SO AND THEY CLRED ME TO LAND BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT ON RWY 22. NO OTHER PROBLEMS. I WILL PUT MY PORTABLE IN MY FRONT SEAT READY AT HAND AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE!

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.