Pilot of C172 on IFR flight plan has lost communication. He squawks appropriately and continues flig...

Attributes
ACN	395128
Time
Date	199802
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : elp
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : elp tower : elp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other ground other : taxi landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 19
ASRS Report	395128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I flew the first leg IFR from aus to fst, 3.6 hours. I stopped for fuel at fst and filed IFR for elp, approximately 190 NM. Took off after 1 hour again. I was cruising at dawn at 8000 ft and first partially, then completely after approximately 40 mins, lost communications. After passing SFL VOR I squawked 7600 and continued via my flight plan. Area was unfamiliar to me, it was night/dawn, so I thought it's best to continue. At the ground it was maybe marginal VMC to IMC. Above (at 8000 ft) it was VMC. I could not get an updated WX briefing from FSS san angelo radio for the gusty winds at elp. During the briefing on the ground he told me: gusting 25-35 KTS. At elp is was very, very bumpy, strong turbulence and windshear. But the best was to continue to elp (big runways, familiarization of the area by charts direct IFR destination). I first approached runway 26L. Very heavy turbulence, no chance to make any landing. ATIS not available due to communication loss. I tried runway 22 on my own. Airlines were also approaching runway 22. Reduced visibility due to dust winds. Thank god I made a safe landing after 3.9 hours (maybe 1/2 hour left in the fuel tanks), taxied on the runway 22 to taxiway Q where I took a crosswind. Aircraft flipped to the right wingtip slowly, then to the left. Nobody was hurt, fire department towed the aircraft away. I also had a backup and a handheld icom A-21, but ran out of battery after 1/2 hour. I think after approximately 6 hours of flying, the radios got hot (old king radios), that's maybe why I lost them!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 ON IFR FLT PLAN HAS LOST COM. HE SQUAWKS APPROPRIATELY AND CONTINUES FLT. ON LNDG THE XWINDS ARE STRONG AND HE LOSES CTL OF ACFT AND WINGTIPS TOUCHED R WINGTIP, THEN L.

Narrative: I FLEW THE FIRST LEG IFR FROM AUS TO FST, 3.6 HRS. I STOPPED FOR FUEL AT FST AND FILED IFR FOR ELP, APPROX 190 NM. TOOK OFF AFTER 1 HR AGAIN. I WAS CRUISING AT DAWN AT 8000 FT AND FIRST PARTIALLY, THEN COMPLETELY AFTER APPROX 40 MINS, LOST COMS. AFTER PASSING SFL VOR I SQUAWKED 7600 AND CONTINUED VIA MY FLT PLAN. AREA WAS UNFAMILIAR TO ME, IT WAS NIGHT/DAWN, SO I THOUGHT IT'S BEST TO CONTINUE. AT THE GND IT WAS MAYBE MARGINAL VMC TO IMC. ABOVE (AT 8000 FT) IT WAS VMC. I COULD NOT GET AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING FROM FSS SAN ANGELO RADIO FOR THE GUSTY WINDS AT ELP. DURING THE BRIEFING ON THE GND HE TOLD ME: GUSTING 25-35 KTS. AT ELP IS WAS VERY, VERY BUMPY, STRONG TURB AND WINDSHEAR. BUT THE BEST WAS TO CONTINUE TO ELP (BIG RWYS, FAMILIARIZATION OF THE AREA BY CHARTS DIRECT IFR DEST). I FIRST APCHED RWY 26L. VERY HVY TURB, NO CHANCE TO MAKE ANY LNDG. ATIS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO COM LOSS. I TRIED RWY 22 ON MY OWN. AIRLINES WERE ALSO APCHING RWY 22. REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO DUST WINDS. THANK GOD I MADE A SAFE LNDG AFTER 3.9 HRS (MAYBE 1/2 HR LEFT IN THE FUEL TANKS), TAXIED ON THE RWY 22 TO TXWY Q WHERE I TOOK A XWIND. ACFT FLIPPED TO THE R WINGTIP SLOWLY, THEN TO THE L. NOBODY WAS HURT, FIRE DEPT TOWED THE ACFT AWAY. I ALSO HAD A BACKUP AND A HANDHELD ICOM A-21, BUT RAN OUT OF BATTERY AFTER 1/2 HR. I THINK AFTER APPROX 6 HRS OF FLYING, THE RADIOS GOT HOT (OLD KING RADIOS), THAT'S MAYBE WHY I LOST THEM!

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 of C172 on IFR flight plan has lost communication. He squawks appropriately and continues flight. On landing the xwinds are strong and he loses control of aircraft and wingtips touched right wingtip, then left.