A PA28 student pilot loses radio contact with the tower in the traffic pattern at bdr, ct.

Attributes
ACN	458990
Time
Date	199912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 65 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	458990
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in the pattern at bdr, I called the tower to tell them I was midfield right downwind runway 6. When I didn't receive any transmission from the tower, I had already completed 5 stop-and-goes. I checked my headset, pulled out the jacks, pushed them back in -- still no communication. I looked to the tower for light signals, saw none. Then I decided to climb to 1700 ft MSL to try to fix the problem. I tried the microphone in the aircraft -- still no communication. I re-entered the pattern after looking for traffic, then I saw the green light signal from the tower. I proceeded to land and exited the runway at taxiway B. I saw the green light to taxi and I taxied to my parking spot. As I pulled into my parking spot, my headset started working. I asked an instructor to check out the radio with the tower. He did, and they worked ok. Consensus is my headset may be at fault. I will have the headset checked out by avionics shop, and if need be, send it back to the manufacturer. The tower asked me to call. I did, and I explained my situation. I told ATC I didn't see the green light on downwind the first time, but I did the second. ATC had cleared traffic for me until I landed. It's a good thing traffic was very light. 4 hours later: I just received a phone call from the airport flying club. It seems the next person who flew the plane lost his radios on the ground. The plane has been grounded for repair. It wasn't my headset after all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 STUDENT PLT LOSES RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR IN THE TFC PATTERN AT BDR, CT.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE PATTERN AT BDR, I CALLED THE TWR TO TELL THEM I WAS MIDFIELD R DOWNWIND RWY 6. WHEN I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY XMISSION FROM THE TWR, I HAD ALREADY COMPLETED 5 STOP-AND-GOES. I CHKED MY HEADSET, PULLED OUT THE JACKS, PUSHED THEM BACK IN -- STILL NO COM. I LOOKED TO THE TWR FOR LIGHT SIGNALS, SAW NONE. THEN I DECIDED TO CLB TO 1700 FT MSL TO TRY TO FIX THE PROB. I TRIED THE MIKE IN THE ACFT -- STILL NO COM. I RE-ENTERED THE PATTERN AFTER LOOKING FOR TFC, THEN I SAW THE GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR. I PROCEEDED TO LAND AND EXITED THE RWY AT TXWY B. I SAW THE GREEN LIGHT TO TAXI AND I TAXIED TO MY PARKING SPOT. AS I PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPOT, MY HEADSET STARTED WORKING. I ASKED AN INSTRUCTOR TO CHK OUT THE RADIO WITH THE TWR. HE DID, AND THEY WORKED OK. CONSENSUS IS MY HEADSET MAY BE AT FAULT. I WILL HAVE THE HEADSET CHKED OUT BY AVIONICS SHOP, AND IF NEED BE, SEND IT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL. I DID, AND I EXPLAINED MY SIT. I TOLD ATC I DIDN'T SEE THE GREEN LIGHT ON DOWNWIND THE FIRST TIME, BUT I DID THE SECOND. ATC HAD CLRED TFC FOR ME UNTIL I LANDED. IT'S A GOOD THING TFC WAS VERY LIGHT. 4 HRS LATER: I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE ARPT FLYING CLUB. IT SEEMS THE NEXT PERSON WHO FLEW THE PLANE LOST HIS RADIOS ON THE GND. THE PLANE HAS BEEN GNDED FOR REPAIR. IT WASN'T MY HEADSET AFTER ALL.

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.