Pilot's #2 communication radio has problem during an IFR approach resulting in near midair collision...

Attributes
ACN	298965
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rnt tracon : mco
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	298965
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : nmac inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 20 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The approach to renton was via vectors for the NDB 15 approach. I turned inbound and was informed by seattle approach that I was over hakim and instructed to contact renton tower. I switched tower frequency and informed tower I was hakim inbound. About 1 second later I 'heard' tower respond cleared to land (I later learned that tower did not hear my communication, and what they did was clear another aircraft to land in front of me). I continued the approach, believing I was cleared to land. (Had I not heard the 'cleared to land,' I would not have descended toward a landing but maintained altitude, circling the airport until I was cleared to land or executing a missed approach. I was under the firm belief that I was cleared to land. I was therefore surprised to see a plane on or near the end of the runway. On seeing the plane, I made several calls to tower telling them of the plane and asking instructions about what to do. I asked if they would like me to go around. I heard no response. Finally, I decided to steer to the right and go around. On the go around, I was still trying to contact tower on communication 2. (I should have figured out the problem sooner, but the radio had worked fine all day long until this point and I have never had a radio fail on me before). I continued downwind extending it north waiting to hear from tower. I then, after the extended downwind, decided to turn base, at this time I changed radios and communicated tower. While flying the pattern, I remained at pattern altitude, 1000 ft. After turning to base I inadvertently entered the edge of a cloud that was just north of the airfield, and was in it for about 2-3 seconds. I then received clearance to land, and landed. I then telephoned the tower to get an understanding of why I was cleared to land, while an aircraft was on the runway. The controller informed me: that he had heard no communications from me, that he knew I was inbound on the NDB, because approach control had so informed him, but that at the same time, he was updating ATIS, and had forgotten to watch for me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT'S #2 COM RADIO HAS PROB DURING AN IFR APCH RESULTING IN NMAC WITH ANOTHER ACFT PRECEDING AND A GAR.

Narrative: THE APCH TO RENTON WAS VIA VECTORS FOR THE NDB 15 APCH. I TURNED INBOUND AND WAS INFORMED BY SEATTLE APCH THAT I WAS OVER HAKIM AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT RENTON TWR. I SWITCHED TWR FREQ AND INFORMED TWR I WAS HAKIM INBOUND. ABOUT 1 SECOND LATER I 'HEARD' TWR RESPOND CLRED TO LAND (I LATER LEARNED THAT TWR DID NOT HEAR MY COM, AND WHAT THEY DID WAS CLR ANOTHER ACFT TO LAND IN FRONT OF ME). I CONTINUED THE APCH, BELIEVING I WAS CLRED TO LAND. (HAD I NOT HEARD THE 'CLRED TO LAND,' I WOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED TOWARD A LNDG BUT MAINTAINED ALT, CIRCLING THE ARPT UNTIL I WAS CLRED TO LAND OR EXECUTING A MISSED APCH. I WAS UNDER THE FIRM BELIEF THAT I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I WAS THEREFORE SURPRISED TO SEE A PLANE ON OR NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. ON SEEING THE PLANE, I MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO TWR TELLING THEM OF THE PLANE AND ASKING INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD LIKE ME TO GAR. I HEARD NO RESPONSE. FINALLY, I DECIDED TO STEER TO THE R AND GAR. ON THE GAR, I WAS STILL TRYING TO CONTACT TWR ON COM 2. (I SHOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT THE PROB SOONER, BUT THE RADIO HAD WORKED FINE ALL DAY LONG UNTIL THIS POINT AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A RADIO FAIL ON ME BEFORE). I CONTINUED DOWNWIND EXTENDING IT N WAITING TO HEAR FROM TWR. I THEN, AFTER THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND, DECIDED TO TURN BASE, AT THIS TIME I CHANGED RADIOS AND COMMUNICATED TWR. WHILE FLYING THE PATTERN, I REMAINED AT PATTERN ALT, 1000 FT. AFTER TURNING TO BASE I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE EDGE OF A CLOUD THAT WAS JUST N OF THE AIRFIELD, AND WAS IN IT FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS. I THEN RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND, AND LANDED. I THEN TELEPHONED THE TWR TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY I WAS CLRED TO LAND, WHILE AN ACFT WAS ON THE RWY. THE CTLR INFORMED ME: THAT HE HAD HEARD NO COMS FROM ME, THAT HE KNEW I WAS INBOUND ON THE NDB, BECAUSE APCH CTL HAD SO INFORMED HIM, BUT THAT AT THE SAME TIME, HE WAS UPDATING ATIS, AND HAD FORGOTTEN TO WATCH FOR ME.

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.

Pilot's #2 communication radio has problem during an IFR approach resulting in near midair collision with another aircraft preceding and a go around.