Narrative:

On landing at night at toledo metcalf for fuel, discovered electrical short with smoke and heat from around landing light switch. Isolated problem to switch and refrained from using landing light on takeoff after pulling landing light breaker. After takeoff, failed in attempt to contact ZOB or other approach to activate IFR flight plan to 3MY at peoria, il. Established 240 degree heading and began troubleshooting and found no transmit from communication 1 or 2. Attempted to contact ATC with handheld and failed except to hear 'remain clear of toledo airspace.' tried various combinations of intercom to establish transmit capability with no luck. Also, could not locate/identify any VOR with which to navigation on navigation 1 or 2. Had LORAN, but failed to program correctly since rental plane and unfamiliar with operation. Ran into clouds at 6500 MSL and had to execute 180 degree to remain VMC. During process, managed to get lost although cavu for most part. Attempted to identify visually airports to establish fix and after flying within 4-5 mi of dayton (in retrospect) decided to squawk 7600 and figured out that landing light breaker disabled transmit. Managed to contact ind approach who said they didn't have me but dayton did. Asked for radar vectors to 3MY, which all control facilities gladly provided to uneventful landing at 3MY. Radio communication/navigation came alive during final legs to 3MY.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT PENETRATED AN ARSA ON CLBOUT DUE TO LOSING ALL RADIO COM. IN ADDITION, SUBSEQUENTLY RAN INTO CLOUDS, TURNED BACK AND BECAME DISORIENTED DUE TO NO RADIO NAV ABILITY AND THEN REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A FLT ASSIST BACK TO INTENDED COURSE.

Narrative: ON LNDG AT NIGHT AT TOLEDO METCALF FOR FUEL, DISCOVERED ELECTRICAL SHORT WITH SMOKE AND HEAT FROM AROUND LNDG LIGHT SWITCH. ISOLATED PROB TO SWITCH AND REFRAINED FROM USING LNDG LIGHT ON TKOF AFTER PULLING LNDG LIGHT BREAKER. AFTER TKOF, FAILED IN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ZOB OR OTHER APCH TO ACTIVATE IFR FLT PLAN TO 3MY AT PEORIA, IL. ESTABLISHED 240 DEG HDG AND BEGAN TROUBLESHOOTING AND FOUND NO XMIT FROM COM 1 OR 2. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ATC WITH HANDHELD AND FAILED EXCEPT TO HEAR 'REMAIN CLR OF TOLEDO AIRSPACE.' TRIED VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF INTERCOM TO ESTABLISH XMIT CAPABILITY WITH NO LUCK. ALSO, COULD NOT LOCATE/IDENT ANY VOR WITH WHICH TO NAV ON NAV 1 OR 2. HAD LORAN, BUT FAILED TO PROGRAM CORRECTLY SINCE RENTAL PLANE AND UNFAMILIAR WITH OP. RAN INTO CLOUDS AT 6500 MSL AND HAD TO EXECUTE 180 DEG TO REMAIN VMC. DURING PROCESS, MANAGED TO GET LOST ALTHOUGH CAVU FOR MOST PART. ATTEMPTED TO IDENT VISUALLY ARPTS TO ESTABLISH FIX AND AFTER FLYING WITHIN 4-5 MI OF DAYTON (IN RETROSPECT) DECIDED TO SQUAWK 7600 AND FIGURED OUT THAT LNDG LIGHT BREAKER DISABLED XMIT. MANAGED TO CONTACT IND APCH WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE ME BUT DAYTON DID. ASKED FOR RADAR VECTORS TO 3MY, WHICH ALL CTL FACILITIES GLADLY PROVIDED TO UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT 3MY. RADIO COM/NAV CAME ALIVE DURING FINAL LEGS TO 3MY.

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.