Flight instructor returning from a local area training flight lost radio communication resulting in ...

Attributes
ACN	261434
Time
Date	199401
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fxe airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fll artcc : zid
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	261434
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This flight was a local area training flight departing fll. After an uneventful departure and uneventful training flight, I noticed WX conditions deteriorate due to a forecasted cold front closing in on the area. Having noticed this, I decided to terminate our flight and return to our base early. At this point, I tried to establish contact with fll 15 mi northwest of the airport, only to find no response. Having tried this several times and other local frequencys, I decided that entering class C airspace was not a good idea and turned towards ft lauderdale exec. Still trying to contact them on their frequency 120.90 and maintaining 2500 ft to avoid traffic pattern altitude, I eventually managed to contact them 1 mi south, and at this point, barely maintaining VFR at 2500 ft. Requested a touch and go to establish that my radios were now operational prior to returning to fll. The lesson to be learned from this report is simple, I should have squawked my radio failure instead of entering controled airspace without being able to talk. Although the controllers were very understanding following my voluntary phone conversation with them, bear in mind entering controled airspace without a radio can cause chaos at a busy airfield.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR RETURNING FROM A LCL AREA TRAINING FLT LOST RADIO COM RESULTING IN PENETRATION OF AN ATA PRIOR TO REESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS A LCL AREA TRAINING FLT DEPARTING FLL. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL DEP AND UNEVENTFUL TRAINING FLT, I NOTICED WX CONDITIONS DETERIORATE DUE TO A FORECASTED COLD FRONT CLOSING IN ON THE AREA. HAVING NOTICED THIS, I DECIDED TO TERMINATE OUR FLT AND RETURN TO OUR BASE EARLY. AT THIS POINT, I TRIED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH FLL 15 MI NW OF THE ARPT, ONLY TO FIND NO RESPONSE. HAVING TRIED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND OTHER LCL FREQS, I DECIDED THAT ENTERING CLASS C AIRSPACE WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA AND TURNED TOWARDS FT LAUDERDALE EXEC. STILL TRYING TO CONTACT THEM ON THEIR FREQ 120.90 AND MAINTAINING 2500 FT TO AVOID TFC PATTERN ALT, I EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO CONTACT THEM 1 MI S, AND AT THIS POINT, BARELY MAINTAINING VFR AT 2500 FT. REQUESTED A TOUCH AND GO TO ESTABLISH THAT MY RADIOS WERE NOW OPERATIONAL PRIOR TO RETURNING TO FLL. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS RPT IS SIMPLE, I SHOULD HAVE SQUAWKED MY RADIO FAILURE INSTEAD OF ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TALK. ALTHOUGH THE CTLRS WERE VERY UNDERSTANDING FOLLOWING MY VOLUNTARY PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THEM, BEAR IN MIND ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT A RADIO CAN CAUSE CHAOS AT A BUSY AIRFIELD.

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.

Flight instructor returning from a local area training flight lost radio communication resulting in penetration of an air traffic area prior to reestablishing radio contact.