Narrative:

I recently had an experience at gillespie field (see) in el cajon, ca, while operating an small aircraft helicopter during which time I was PIC and on board was my crew chief conducting track and balance adjustments. At some point during the flight I may have failed to respond to ATC communications, may have flown the designated helicopter pattern at a different pattern altitude (somewhat higher), and may have landed without a landing clearance -- all of which was attributed to a radio failure during the flight which could not be recognized as deficient until after landing, at which time the radio was repaired. During the flight, some vibrations were felt through the aircraft which later proved to be normal as they were associated with the 'out of track' condition which was later corrected, as per the vibration analysis equipment that we had on board the aircraft at the time. The safest thing to do was to land as soon as possible. Subsequently, I telephoned the control tower and advised them of our situation. Later on, after the radios had been repaired, the radio check was good and we finished our maintenance flts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states FAA has closed this case and can find no problem with reporter actions. Local controller seemed very upset so reporter made courtesy telephone call to explain intermittent communication. Supervisor with whom he spoke was not very pleasant at all, very derogatory about helicopters in general and commented on reporter's heritage. Wrote report to FSDO. FAA asked reporter to come for interview, listened to tapes. Much discussion, closed case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI ON MAINT TEST FLT HAS COM FAILURE. ALLEGED TO HAVE FLOWN WRONG PATTERN AND LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I RECENTLY HAD AN EXPERIENCE AT GILLESPIE FIELD (SEE) IN EL CAJON, CA, WHILE OPERATING AN SMA HELI DURING WHICH TIME I WAS PIC AND ON BOARD WAS MY CREW CHIEF CONDUCTING TRACK AND BAL ADJUSTMENTS. AT SOME POINT DURING THE FLT I MAY HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ATC COMS, MAY HAVE FLOWN THE DESIGNATED HELI PATTERN AT A DIFFERENT PATTERN ALT (SOMEWHAT HIGHER), AND MAY HAVE LANDED WITHOUT A LNDG CLRNC -- ALL OF WHICH WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A RADIO FAILURE DURING THE FLT WHICH COULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS DEFICIENT UNTIL AFTER LNDG, AT WHICH TIME THE RADIO WAS REPAIRED. DURING THE FLT, SOME VIBRATIONS WERE FELT THROUGH THE ACFT WHICH LATER PROVED TO BE NORMAL AS THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE 'OUT OF TRACK' CONDITION WHICH WAS LATER CORRECTED, AS PER THE VIBRATION ANALYSIS EQUIP THAT WE HAD ON BOARD THE ACFT AT THE TIME. THE SAFEST THING TO DO WAS TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, I TELEPHONED THE CTL TWR AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SITUATION. LATER ON, AFTER THE RADIOS HAD BEEN REPAIRED, THE RADIO CHK WAS GOOD AND WE FINISHED OUR MAINT FLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES FAA HAS CLOSED THIS CASE AND CAN FIND NO PROBLEM WITH RPTR ACTIONS. LCL CTLR SEEMED VERY UPSET SO RPTR MADE COURTESY TELEPHONE CALL TO EXPLAIN INTERMITTENT COM. SUPVR WITH WHOM HE SPOKE WAS NOT VERY PLEASANT AT ALL, VERY DEROGATORY ABOUT HELIS IN GENERAL AND COMMENTED ON RPTR'S HERITAGE. WROTE RPT TO FSDO. FAA ASKED RPTR TO COME FOR INTERVIEW, LISTENED TO TAPES. MUCH DISCUSSION, CLOSED CASE.

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.