C182 in IFR flight plan has electrical problem resulting in lost communication. Unable to establish ...

Attributes
ACN	316094
Time
Date	199509
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vcn
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 26000 flight time type : 175
ASRS Report	316094
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying on an IFR flight plan in VFR conditions when I lost communications with ZDC. I was hearing some signals from other aircraft, but nobody seemed to hear me on either radio. I then noticed my ammeter showing a slight discharge. I tried to use my handheld radio. I could receive but nobody seemed to hear me. At this point I decided to land at miv. I went to 7600 on the transponder for a brief time then went to 1200. Upon landing my ammeter started to show a charge and I informed miv radio I was on the ground. I then started to look at my handheld set up. I had recently added an adapter so that I could plug in my headset and boom microphone, but when I tried to use it I used the built in microphone in the handheld instead of the boom microphone. I didn't know that the built-in microphone was cut out when you used the headset-boom microphone adaptor. Lessons: xchk engine instruments more often. If you add new equipment or accessories, be sure you try them out for practice before you really need to use it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 IN IFR FLT PLAN HAS ELECTRICAL PROB RESULTING IN LOST COM. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN I LOST COMS WITH ZDC. I WAS HEARING SOME SIGNALS FROM OTHER ACFT, BUT NOBODY SEEMED TO HEAR ME ON EITHER RADIO. I THEN NOTICED MY AMMETER SHOWING A SLIGHT DISCHARGE. I TRIED TO USE MY HANDHELD RADIO. I COULD RECEIVE BUT NOBODY SEEMED TO HEAR ME. AT THIS POINT I DECIDED TO LAND AT MIV. I WENT TO 7600 ON THE XPONDER FOR A BRIEF TIME THEN WENT TO 1200. UPON LNDG MY AMMETER STARTED TO SHOW A CHARGE AND I INFORMED MIV RADIO I WAS ON THE GND. I THEN STARTED TO LOOK AT MY HANDHELD SET UP. I HAD RECENTLY ADDED AN ADAPTER SO THAT I COULD PLUG IN MY HEADSET AND BOOM MIKE, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO USE IT I USED THE BUILT IN MIKE IN THE HANDHELD INSTEAD OF THE BOOM MIKE. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE BUILT-IN MIKE WAS CUT OUT WHEN YOU USED THE HEADSET-BOOM MIKE ADAPTOR. LESSONS: XCHK ENG INSTS MORE OFTEN. IF YOU ADD NEW EQUIP OR ACCESSORIES, BE SURE YOU TRY THEM OUT FOR PRACTICE BEFORE YOU REALLY NEED TO USE IT.

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.

C182 in IFR flight plan has electrical problem resulting in lost communication. Unable to establish radio contact.