Narrative:

While on an IFR flight to mht from bed, I encountered radio difficulties when the audio panel stopped working. I checked the circuit breaker and they seemed to be in the normal position. All the navigation equipment was working and I had an aircraft hand portable radio which I used to advise ATC of the communication problems. I completed the ILS approach and broke out above 1800 ft MSL. I chose to return to bed rather than land at mht since bed was VFR as well as lvm along the route. At that point I realized I had forgotten to list alternates on both IFR flight plans, and I believe there was a chance of conditions being such that I should have listed alternates on my flight plans. When I landed at bed, I checked the audio panel and found the crew holding the unit in it's case had vibrated loose and allowed the unit to lose contact with the case connectors, etc. I realized after landing at bed that I should have checked out the quip at mht and saved everyone a lot of trouble. I plan to stop and check out any equipment problems as soon as possible in the future and to check carefully for forecast conditions requiring alternates to be listed on my IFR flight plans. I talked to the controller after the flight and he said there was not going to be any violation action taken, but he suggested and I agree that I probably could have been better off landing at mht.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM DIFFICULTY. PLT USED PORTABLE RADIO AND RETURNED TO ARPT OF ORIGIN.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT TO MHT FROM BED, I ENCOUNTERED RADIO DIFFICULTIES WHEN THE AUDIO PANEL STOPPED WORKING. I CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THEY SEEMED TO BE IN THE NORMAL POS. ALL THE NAV EQUIP WAS WORKING AND I HAD AN ACFT HAND PORTABLE RADIO WHICH I USED TO ADVISE ATC OF THE COM PROBS. I COMPLETED THE ILS APCH AND BROKE OUT ABOVE 1800 FT MSL. I CHOSE TO RETURN TO BED RATHER THAN LAND AT MHT SINCE BED WAS VFR AS WELL AS LVM ALONG THE RTE. AT THAT POINT I REALIZED I HAD FORGOTTEN TO LIST ALTERNATES ON BOTH IFR FLT PLANS, AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS A CHANCE OF CONDITIONS BEING SUCH THAT I SHOULD HAVE LISTED ALTERNATES ON MY FLT PLANS. WHEN I LANDED AT BED, I CHKED THE AUDIO PANEL AND FOUND THE CREW HOLDING THE UNIT IN IT'S CASE HAD VIBRATED LOOSE AND ALLOWED THE UNIT TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE CASE CONNECTORS, ETC. I REALIZED AFTER LNDG AT BED THAT I SHOULD HAVE CHKED OUT THE QUIP AT MHT AND SAVED EVERYONE A LOT OF TROUBLE. I PLAN TO STOP AND CHK OUT ANY EQUIP PROBS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE AND TO CHK CAREFULLY FOR FORECAST CONDITIONS REQUIRING ALTERNATES TO BE LISTED ON MY IFR FLT PLANS. I TALKED TO THE CTLR AFTER THE FLT AND HE SAID THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ANY VIOLATION ACTION TAKEN, BUT HE SUGGESTED AND I AGREE THAT I PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF LNDG AT MHT.

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.