Narrative:

This situation that has brought upon this form involves a loss of navigation and radio communications with ATC. An small aircraft was on an IFR flight plan from tradewind airport (amarillo, tx) to K36 (onawa, ia). I was cleared to K36 direct amarillo VOR and then as filed, climb and maintain 8000 ft. Before takeoff ATC instructed me to turn to 290 degrees and then shortly thereafter, we entered IMC. When ready to go direct ama the communications and navigation radios went dead, therefore there was no way to communication with ATC or navigate direct to ama. With lost communications, the FARS require in IMC to climb to the highest of the MEA, assigned, or expected altitude. I then proceeded to climb to 8000 ft which was assigned. A problem arose with the route of flight because I had no way to go direct to ama as assigned by ATC. From my preflight WX briefing I knew there was VFR WX to the north which was the direction for my flight plan to K36. Knowing this I turned to the north and kept climbing to 8000 ft. Meanwhile the passenger/owner was troubleshooting the problem. The 7700 and 7600 squawks were also implemented. The avionics master switch must have been the problem because all circuit breakers were in working order. After switching the avionics switch on and off 4-5 times the radios finally came back on line. Amarillo departure was the recontacted. We were then instructed to fly 060 degrees and direct gage VOR when able. We were also instructed to contact abq center. The remainder portion of the flight went without problems. The situation was a very humbling as well as a learning experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOST COM AND NAV RADIOS FLYING IN IMC ON DEP CLB OUT OF AMA.

Narrative: THIS SITUATION THAT HAS BROUGHT UPON THIS FORM INVOLVES A LOSS OF NAV AND RADIO COMS WITH ATC. AN SMA WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TRADEWIND ARPT (AMARILLO, TX) TO K36 (ONAWA, IA). I WAS CLRED TO K36 DIRECT AMARILLO VOR AND THEN AS FILED, CLB AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. BEFORE TKOF ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN TO 290 DEGS AND THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE ENTERED IMC. WHEN READY TO GO DIRECT AMA THE COMS AND NAV RADIOS WENT DEAD, THEREFORE THERE WAS NO WAY TO COM WITH ATC OR NAVIGATE DIRECT TO AMA. WITH LOST COMS, THE FARS REQUIRE IN IMC TO CLB TO THE HIGHEST OF THE MEA, ASSIGNED, OR EXPECTED ALT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CLB TO 8000 FT WHICH WAS ASSIGNED. A PROBLEM AROSE WITH THE RTE OF FLT BECAUSE I HAD NO WAY TO GO DIRECT TO AMA AS ASSIGNED BY ATC. FROM MY PREFLT WX BRIEFING I KNEW THERE WAS VFR WX TO THE N WHICH WAS THE DIRECTION FOR MY FLT PLAN TO K36. KNOWING THIS I TURNED TO THE N AND KEPT CLBING TO 8000 FT. MEANWHILE THE PAX/OWNER WAS TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM. THE 7700 AND 7600 SQUAWKS WERE ALSO IMPLEMENTED. THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH MUST HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM BECAUSE ALL CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE IN WORKING ORDER. AFTER SWITCHING THE AVIONICS SWITCH ON AND OFF 4-5 TIMES THE RADIOS FINALLY CAME BACK ON LINE. AMARILLO DEP WAS THE RECONTACTED. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO FLY 060 DEGS AND DIRECT GAGE VOR WHEN ABLE. WE WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT ABQ CENTER. THE REMAINDER PORTION OF THE FLT WENT WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THE SITUATION WAS A VERY HUMBLING AS WELL AS A LEARNING 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.