Pilot of atx small transport aircraft experienced temporary loss of radio communication during desce...

Attributes
ACN	231238
Time
Date	199301
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fnt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3950
ASRS Report	231238
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During an IFR flight into flint, mi, at approximately am:30 local on 1/fri/93, I was being vectored by ZOB on 134.65. Approximately 25 southwest of fnt heading 060 degrees, I requested lower. The controller descended me from 10000 to 9000 ft. Passing the fnt VOR I requested lower again. The controller gave me discretion to 3000 ft on heading 060 degrees. During descent tried to reach the center for a turn without response. I continued to try cleveland, then detroit, then fnt approach frequency. When communications weren't established 25 plus mi from the field I turned back towards the field to begin lost communications procedures, because we no longer had the 25 mi MSA of 3100 ft. Being more than 25 mi and in icing conditions during the turn back towards the field, I started a climb to above the minimum safe altitude and out of icing conditions. At which time I continued to try reestablish radio contact with cleveland on 134.65, because I could hear distant transmissions. Communications were reestablished and we were changed to a new frequency and continued the approach. During our being handled by cleveland controller seemed preoccupied. I was left up high too long, which led to leaving the 25 mi MSA of fnt in the descent. The controller thought we were on different frequency. Due to the slow response by the controller to our transmissions, we weren't concerned enough initially to the lack of response to the calls.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX SMT ACFT EXPERIENCED TEMPORARY LOSS OF RADIO COM DURING DSCNT FOR APCH TO LAND RESULTING IN REESTABLISHING COM AND CONTINUING APCH.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR FLT INTO FLINT, MI, AT APPROX AM:30 LCL ON 1/FRI/93, I WAS BEING VECTORED BY ZOB ON 134.65. APPROX 25 SW OF FNT HDG 060 DEGS, I REQUESTED LOWER. THE CTLR DSNDED ME FROM 10000 TO 9000 FT. PASSING THE FNT VOR I REQUESTED LOWER AGAIN. THE CTLR GAVE ME DISCRETION TO 3000 FT ON HDG 060 DEGS. DURING DSCNT TRIED TO REACH THE CTR FOR A TURN WITHOUT RESPONSE. I CONTINUED TO TRY CLEVELAND, THEN DETROIT, THEN FNT APCH FREQ. WHEN COMS WEREN'T ESTABLISHED 25 PLUS MI FROM THE FIELD I TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE FIELD TO BEGIN LOST COMS PROCS, BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAD THE 25 MI MSA OF 3100 FT. BEING MORE THAN 25 MI AND IN ICING CONDITIONS DURING THE TURN BACK TOWARDS THE FIELD, I STARTED A CLB TO ABOVE THE MINIMUM SAFE ALT AND OUT OF ICING CONDITIONS. AT WHICH TIME I CONTINUED TO TRY REESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND ON 134.65, BECAUSE I COULD HEAR DISTANT TRANSMISSIONS. COMS WERE REESTABLISHED AND WE WERE CHANGED TO A NEW FREQ AND CONTINUED THE APCH. DURING OUR BEING HANDLED BY CLEVELAND CTLR SEEMED PREOCCUPIED. I WAS LEFT UP HIGH TOO LONG, WHICH LED TO LEAVING THE 25 MI MSA OF FNT IN THE DSCNT. THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE ON DIFFERENT FREQ. DUE TO THE SLOW RESPONSE BY THE CTLR TO OUR TRANSMISSIONS, WE WEREN'T CONCERNED ENOUGH INITIALLY TO THE LACK OF RESPONSE TO THE CALLS.

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.

Pilot of atx small transport aircraft experienced temporary loss of radio communication during descent for approach to land resulting in reestablishing communication and continuing approach.