The reporter had difficulty communicating with eglin for clearance through restr area corridor. The ...

Attributes
ACN	325390
Time
Date	199601
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vps
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 3100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vps
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	325390
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route pfn to intended destination mso. Departed pfn VFR, climbed to 1000-1500 ft and contacted (I thought) eglin approach for advisories through VFR corridor, R2919A, wbound 1 mi offshore. Approaching hrt I attempted to contact eglin, then hurlburt tower, for clearance through hrt class D. Unable to contact either, so I climbed to 3000-3100 to remain clear. Then remained clear of npa offshore at 500 ft, continued to st. Elmo (2r5). (Decided safest plan was on-course, then land as soon as possible.) contacted mobile downtown tower (phone) for no- radio/handheld radio landing. Proceeded to bfm to radio shop. (Handheld had been inaccessible during flight.) radio shop discovered screw missing from connector on rear of radio, resulting in weak transmit, intermittent in flight. In hindsight, I am not certain that I ever established contact with eglin. The controller was quite busy, working primarily military aircraft on other frequencys. It is possible that what I took to be a reply to my transmission may instead have been a reply to another (probably military) aircraft with a similar sounding call sign, on another frequency. My aircraft type (varga) is uncommon, and for some reason, my number is either a tongue or a brain-twister, therefore, I am accustomed to replies from controllers with similar-sounding but incorrect identify. If the controller is not busy, I correct the identify. If busy, I usually grin and bear it. Did that this time. Maybe bad plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH EGLIN FOR CLRNC THROUGH RESTR AREA CORRIDOR. THE RPTR LANDED AT NON TWR ARPT. TO GET THE RADIO TO WHERE IT COULD BE REPAIRED HE PHONED MOBILE TWR TO ARRANGE TO LAND USING HIS HAND HELD VHF.

Narrative: ENRTE PFN TO INTENDED DEST MSO. DEPARTED PFN VFR, CLBED TO 1000-1500 FT AND CONTACTED (I THOUGHT) EGLIN APCH FOR ADVISORIES THROUGH VFR CORRIDOR, R2919A, WBOUND 1 MI OFFSHORE. APCHING HRT I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT EGLIN, THEN HURLBURT TWR, FOR CLRNC THROUGH HRT CLASS D. UNABLE TO CONTACT EITHER, SO I CLBED TO 3000-3100 TO REMAIN CLR. THEN REMAINED CLR OF NPA OFFSHORE AT 500 FT, CONTINUED TO ST. ELMO (2R5). (DECIDED SAFEST PLAN WAS ON-COURSE, THEN LAND ASAP.) CONTACTED MOBILE DOWNTOWN TWR (PHONE) FOR NO- RADIO/HANDHELD RADIO LNDG. PROCEEDED TO BFM TO RADIO SHOP. (HANDHELD HAD BEEN INACCESSIBLE DURING FLT.) RADIO SHOP DISCOVERED SCREW MISSING FROM CONNECTOR ON REAR OF RADIO, RESULTING IN WEAK XMIT, INTERMITTENT IN FLT. IN HINDSIGHT, I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT I EVER ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH EGLIN. THE CTLR WAS QUITE BUSY, WORKING PRIMARILY MIL ACFT ON OTHER FREQS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WHAT I TOOK TO BE A REPLY TO MY XMISSION MAY INSTEAD HAVE BEEN A REPLY TO ANOTHER (PROBABLY MIL) ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN, ON ANOTHER FREQ. MY ACFT TYPE (VARGA) IS UNCOMMON, AND FOR SOME REASON, MY NUMBER IS EITHER A TONGUE OR A BRAIN-TWISTER, THEREFORE, I AM ACCUSTOMED TO REPLIES FROM CTLRS WITH SIMILAR-SOUNDING BUT INCORRECT IDENT. IF THE CTLR IS NOT BUSY, I CORRECT THE IDENT. IF BUSY, I USUALLY GRIN AND BEAR IT. DID THAT THIS TIME. MAYBE BAD PLAN.

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.

The reporter had difficulty communicating with eglin for clearance through restr area corridor. The reporter landed at non tower airport. To get the radio to where it could be repaired he phoned mobile tower to arrange to land using his hand held VHF.