Reporter lost radios temporarily in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	289556
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mfe
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mfe tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 94 flight time type : 43
ASRS Report	289556
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was on approach to mcallen international with intentions of landing there. Approach had advised me to keep up my speed all the way there (later I found out that air carrier was behind me). When I had the field in sight, approach cleared me to switch to mcallen tower frequency. In switching frequencys, is when the trouble started. My radio readout went dark and I couldn't see the frequency that I was on, and the microphone would stick occasionally. At this time, I had the field on my right wing, but I had not been cleared to land. My first thought was to get out of the way of the aircraft behind me, so staying at traffic pattern altitude, I kept on going straight to come back for light signals. All of this time I'm still trying to communicate with either the tower or approach. As I completed the turn back to the field I was going to squawk 7600 when my radio came alive again and the tower cleared me to land. After touchdown, my radio was still working, but my microphone would still stick. I was cleared to FBO and my trip ended. I believe that it would help a great deal if the FARS allowed for student pilots to have a specific minimum of hours at controled fields (not just 2 takeoffs and lndgs) and a minimum of normal and emergency time at a controled field. Most private pilots (low time) have too little time at controled fields.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR LOST RADIOS TEMPORARILY IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS ON APCH TO MCALLEN INTL WITH INTENTIONS OF LNDG THERE. APCH HAD ADVISED ME TO KEEP UP MY SPD ALL THE WAY THERE (LATER I FOUND OUT THAT ACR WAS BEHIND ME). WHEN I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, APCH CLRED ME TO SWITCH TO MCALLEN TWR FREQ. IN SWITCHING FREQS, IS WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED. MY RADIO READOUT WENT DARK AND I COULDN'T SEE THE FREQ THAT I WAS ON, AND THE MIKE WOULD STICK OCCASIONALLY. AT THIS TIME, I HAD THE FIELD ON MY R WING, BUT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO LAND. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ACFT BEHIND ME, SO STAYING AT TFC PATTERN ALT, I KEPT ON GOING STRAIGHT TO COME BACK FOR LIGHT SIGNALS. ALL OF THIS TIME I'M STILL TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH EITHER THE TWR OR APCH. AS I COMPLETED THE TURN BACK TO THE FIELD I WAS GOING TO SQUAWK 7600 WHEN MY RADIO CAME ALIVE AGAIN AND THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, MY RADIO WAS STILL WORKING, BUT MY MIKE WOULD STILL STICK. I WAS CLRED TO FBO AND MY TRIP ENDED. I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD HELP A GREAT DEAL IF THE FARS ALLOWED FOR STUDENT PLTS TO HAVE A SPECIFIC MINIMUM OF HRS AT CTLED FIELDS (NOT JUST 2 TKOFS AND LNDGS) AND A MINIMUM OF NORMAL AND EMER TIME AT A CTLED FIELD. MOST PVT PLTS (LOW TIME) HAVE TOO LITTLE TIME AT CTLED FIELDS.

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.