Narrative:

Upon departure from clt I was cleared to the IFR filed altitude of 6000 ft. 20 mins into the flight after switching frequencys from departure to center and center again, I received the following clearance: n-number cleared to direct to broad river (NDB) cleared for ILS runway 34, report procedure turn inbound. I proceeded to go direct to broad river (bra) when the radios went dead and the red flags appeared on the HSI and #2 VOR/GS. ADF needle stopped moving. Having lost all means of communication and navigation I continued to fly last assigned heading and altitude while trying to troubleshoot the radio failure possible causes. About 15-20 mins, after hearing some static coming from communication #1, I wedged a pen under the radio to shimmy it up, which brought the radios back. Immediately contacted ATC, informed them of what had happened and was immediately given a climb to 7000 ft and a vector around. The rest of the flight was normal till landing. At this time I was advised to call atl air manager. After calling him, he informed me that I had flown over a 5500 ft mountain at 6000 ft and he was referring this to atl FSDO. I was at the last assigned heading and altitude by atl when the radios failed until I either could re-establish communications or until I got to an area of VFR conditions to the southwest of asheville.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN AIR TAXI CARGO PIPER PA31 LOST RADIOS FOR SHORT TIME RESULTING IN ARTCC CTLR NOT BEING ABLE TO CLR RPTR TO A HIGHER ALT FOR TERRAIN CLRNC.

Narrative: UPON DEP FROM CLT I WAS CLRED TO THE IFR FILED ALT OF 6000 FT. 20 MINS INTO THE FLT AFTER SWITCHING FREQS FROM DEP TO CTR AND CTR AGAIN, I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC: N-NUMBER CLRED TO DIRECT TO BROAD RIVER (NDB) CLRED FOR ILS RWY 34, RPT PROC TURN INBOUND. I PROCEEDED TO GO DIRECT TO BROAD RIVER (BRA) WHEN THE RADIOS WENT DEAD AND THE RED FLAGS APPEARED ON THE HSI AND #2 VOR/GS. ADF NEEDLE STOPPED MOVING. HAVING LOST ALL MEANS OF COM AND NAV I CONTINUED TO FLY LAST ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT WHILE TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE RADIO FAILURE POSSIBLE CAUSES. ABOUT 15-20 MINS, AFTER HEARING SOME STATIC COMING FROM COM #1, I WEDGED A PEN UNDER THE RADIO TO SHIMMY IT UP, WHICH BROUGHT THE RADIOS BACK. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATC, INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WAS IMMEDIATELY GIVEN A CLB TO 7000 FT AND A VECTOR AROUND. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL TILL LNDG. AT THIS TIME I WAS ADVISED TO CALL ATL AIR MGR. AFTER CALLING HIM, HE INFORMED ME THAT I HAD FLOWN OVER A 5500 FT MOUNTAIN AT 6000 FT AND HE WAS REFERRING THIS TO ATL FSDO. I WAS AT THE LAST ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT BY ATL WHEN THE RADIOS FAILED UNTIL I EITHER COULD RE-ESTABLISH COMS OR UNTIL I GOT TO AN AREA OF VFR CONDITIONS TO THE SW OF ASHEVILLE.

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.