A pilot of a private aircraft entered class C airspace without a transponder, and without establishi...

Attributes
ACN	301564
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg airport : sff
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg tower : fxe
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 22
ASRS Report	301564
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
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:

While en route from st marie, wa, to ritzville, wa, the operation of the communication radio became questionable. Since the lights at ritzville were activated by radio xmissions, the ability to activate the runway lights was also questionable. Since I was not able to purchase fuel in st marie, I did not feel I could safely fly from ritzville to the closest runway with lights (geg) if I failed to activate the lights. I decided to divert so spokane. As I approached geg, I was unable to communicate with approach because I could not use their frequencys with the 90 channel radio. I was also unsuccessful with my attempts to raise the tower on 118.3. Since the aircraft was not equipped with a transponder, I decided the better course of action was to proceed to felts field (even though their tower frequency was 134.4, not available to me). My flight guide showed the tower would be open until XA00 hours. I announced my arrival on ground 121.7 and landed on runway 21R. I had hoped geg would have heard my xmissions or noticed my lights and alerted felts field. As it turned out, felts tower was closed (at XX00 hours) and geg claimed I was within their 5 mi airspace and did not hear my radio calls. Had I known felts tower closed at XX00 the entire problem could have been avoided. With the communication failure and fuel situation I feel I took the safest course of action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT OF A PVT ACFT ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT A XPONDER, AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COMS, CITING AN INABILITY TO ACTIVATE LIGHTS AT DEST AS THE REASON FOR THE DIVERSION.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ST MARIE, WA, TO RITZVILLE, WA, THE OP OF THE COM RADIO BECAME QUESTIONABLE. SINCE THE LIGHTS AT RITZVILLE WERE ACTIVATED BY RADIO XMISSIONS, THE ABILITY TO ACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS WAS ALSO QUESTIONABLE. SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE FUEL IN ST MARIE, I DID NOT FEEL I COULD SAFELY FLY FROM RITZVILLE TO THE CLOSEST RWY WITH LIGHTS (GEG) IF I FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE LIGHTS. I DECIDED TO DIVERT SO SPOKANE. AS I APCHED GEG, I WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH APCH BECAUSE I COULD NOT USE THEIR FREQS WITH THE 90 CHANNEL RADIO. I WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL WITH MY ATTEMPTS TO RAISE THE TWR ON 118.3. SINCE THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER, I DECIDED THE BETTER COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO PROCEED TO FELTS FIELD (EVEN THOUGH THEIR TWR FREQ WAS 134.4, NOT AVAILABLE TO ME). MY FLT GUIDE SHOWED THE TWR WOULD BE OPEN UNTIL XA00 HRS. I ANNOUNCED MY ARR ON GND 121.7 AND LANDED ON RWY 21R. I HAD HOPED GEG WOULD HAVE HEARD MY XMISSIONS OR NOTICED MY LIGHTS AND ALERTED FELTS FIELD. AS IT TURNED OUT, FELTS TWR WAS CLOSED (AT XX00 HRS) AND GEG CLAIMED I WAS WITHIN THEIR 5 MI AIRSPACE AND DID NOT HEAR MY RADIO CALLS. HAD I KNOWN FELTS TWR CLOSED AT XX00 THE ENTIRE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WITH THE COM FAILURE AND FUEL SIT I FEEL I TOOK THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION.

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.

A pilot of a private aircraft entered class C airspace without a transponder, and without establishing 2-WAY communications, citing an inability to activate lights at destination as the reason for the diversion.