Student pilot of an small aircraft experienced a radio failure during a solo flight. The lost communication code was set in the transponder, and after clearing for traffic, the pilot flew toward the tower while rocking his wings and flashing his landing lights. The pilot thought that he received a green light and landed.

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Attributes
ACN	329020
Time
Date	199602
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ilm
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 50 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	329020
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying my solo flight to wilmington, nc, and before wilmington I experienced radio failure. I tried to figure out the problem by checking out the connections and frequencys but it didn't work out. Then I squawked 7600 in order to let wilmington tower know that I had radio problems. In addition, I also scanned airspace very carefully, but at the moment there was hardly any traffic. Before my landing I flew toward the control tower and I rocked my wings and used my landing light in order to ensure that they understood that I had problems. During that time I thought I saw a green light signal and therefore I landed by using the proper traffic pattern considering the circumstances and taking care of the collision avoidance all the time. After landing I contacted the tower and we talked about the situation and they told me that everything that I did was fine. Nevertheless, they apparently never gave me light signals as they were supposed to do. Next time, I would probably land at an uncontrolled airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT OF AN SMA EXPERIENCED A RADIO FAILURE DURING A SOLO FLT. THE LOST COM CODE WAS SET IN THE XPONDER, AND AFTER CLRING FOR TFC, THE PLT FLEW TOWARD THE TWR WHILE ROCKING HIS WINGS AND FLASHING HIS LNDG LIGHTS. THE PLT THOUGHT THAT HE RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT AND LANDED.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY SOLO FLT TO WILMINGTON, NC, AND BEFORE WILMINGTON I EXPERIENCED RADIO FAILURE. I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT THE PROB BY CHKING OUT THE CONNECTIONS AND FREQS BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT. THEN I SQUAWKED 7600 IN ORDER TO LET WILMINGTON TWR KNOW THAT I HAD RADIO PROBS. IN ADDITION, I ALSO SCANNED AIRSPACE VERY CAREFULLY, BUT AT THE MOMENT THERE WAS HARDLY ANY TFC. BEFORE MY LNDG I FLEW TOWARD THE CTL TWR AND I ROCKED MY WINGS AND USED MY LNDG LIGHT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD PROBS. DURING THAT TIME I THOUGHT I SAW A GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL AND THEREFORE I LANDED BY USING THE PROPER TFC PATTERN CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND TAKING CARE OF THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE ALL THE TIME. AFTER LNDG I CONTACTED THE TWR AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE SIT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING THAT I DID WAS FINE. NEVERTHELESS, THEY APPARENTLY NEVER GAVE ME LIGHT SIGNALS AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. NEXT TIME, I WOULD PROBABLY LAND AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.

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.