Private pilot experiences loss of communication frequency.

Attributes
ACN	269056
Time
Date	199404
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tbn
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tbn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 175 flight time type : 9
ASRS Report	269056
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was conducting VFR flight from cps airport to aiz airport via the vih-for. When I received a from flag indication from vih VOR, I dialed a 260 degree radial off of vih. After crossing the vih VOR, I switched fuel tanks approximately 10 mi west of the vih VOR. After switching fuel tanks I attempted to turn off my electric fuel pump, per normal procedure. In fact, I had accidentally turned off the master switch. After 2-3 mins, I noticed silence in my headset, used my push to talk switch to verify the condition. Then I proceeded to find the problem. First I checked the plugs from my intercom to the airplane, then I continued to fly the airplane and checked for a centered CDI needle on the #1 navigation-radio, not noticing the off flag because I was preoccupied with my radio. Next I checked the plugs from my headset to my intercom. Then I again checked my CDI, continued to fly the airplane. Next I checked my cigar plug between my intercom and the airplane. By this time I had drifted south of course and over waynesville, mo. Panic was beginning to set in. Then saw an airport and proceeded toward it. As I approached, I observed no traffic in area (8 mi). When I got closer (2 mi), I saw a control tower and followed normal radio inoperative procedures. I circled 2 mi northwest of the tower, awaiting light gun signals. Seeing no light gun signals, or traffic in the area, I assumed the tower was closed. I then followed normal uncontrolled airport landing operations. After landing, I taxied off the runway and stopped again waiting for light gun signals, seeing no light gun signals, I proceeded to the ramp west of the control tower. I noticed 2 army officers approaching as I came to a stop. As I proceeded to shut down the airplane, it was then I noticed the master switch in the off position. This was the apparent cause of my radio failure. The fuel pump switch is located next to the master switch, and I must have turned off the master switch, thinking it was the fuel pump.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT EXPERIENCES LOSS OF COM FREQ.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING VFR FLT FROM CPS ARPT TO AIZ ARPT VIA THE VIH-FOR. WHEN I RECEIVED A FROM FLAG INDICATION FROM VIH VOR, I DIALED A 260 DEG RADIAL OFF OF VIH. AFTER XING THE VIH VOR, I SWITCHED FUEL TANKS APPROX 10 MI W OF THE VIH VOR. AFTER SWITCHING FUEL TANKS I ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF MY ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, PER NORMAL PROC. IN FACT, I HAD ACCIDENTALLY TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH. AFTER 2-3 MINS, I NOTICED SILENCE IN MY HEADSET, USED MY PUSH TO TALK SWITCH TO VERIFY THE CONDITION. THEN I PROCEEDED TO FIND THE PROB. FIRST I CHKED THE PLUGS FROM MY INTERCOM TO THE AIRPLANE, THEN I CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AND CHKED FOR A CTRED CDI NEEDLE ON THE #1 NAV-RADIO, NOT NOTICING THE OFF FLAG BECAUSE I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH MY RADIO. NEXT I CHKED THE PLUGS FROM MY HEADSET TO MY INTERCOM. THEN I AGAIN CHKED MY CDI, CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. NEXT I CHKED MY CIGAR PLUG BTWN MY INTERCOM AND THE AIRPLANE. BY THIS TIME I HAD DRIFTED S OF COURSE AND OVER WAYNESVILLE, MO. PANIC WAS BEGINNING TO SET IN. THEN SAW AN ARPT AND PROCEEDED TOWARD IT. AS I APCHED, I OBSERVED NO TFC IN AREA (8 MI). WHEN I GOT CLOSER (2 MI), I SAW A CTL TWR AND FOLLOWED NORMAL RADIO INOP PROCS. I CIRCLED 2 MI NW OF THE TWR, AWAITING LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. SEEING NO LIGHT GUN SIGNALS, OR TFC IN THE AREA, I ASSUMED THE TWR WAS CLOSED. I THEN FOLLOWED NORMAL UNCTLED ARPT LNDG OPS. AFTER LNDG, I TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND STOPPED AGAIN WAITING FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS, SEEING NO LIGHT GUN SIGNALS, I PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP W OF THE CTL TWR. I NOTICED 2 ARMY OFFICERS APCHING AS I CAME TO A STOP. AS I PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE, IT WAS THEN I NOTICED THE MASTER SWITCH IN THE OFF POS. THIS WAS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF MY RADIO FAILURE. THE FUEL PUMP SWITCH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE MASTER SWITCH, AND I MUST HAVE TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH, THINKING IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP.

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.