Narrative:

Cleared approach to patc in uncontrolled airspace. Zan lost radar contact at 10000 ft. Cleared to CTAF frequency. On approach, we determined that WX was good enough for landing. However, due to winds, we would be unable to depart on the only IFR departure procedure. We decided to hold at the depicted point on the approach to wait for more favorable wind conditions. We attempted to contact zan numerous times on last assigned frequency, but were unable due to low altitude and weak radio transponder. Attempted once on nome FSS to advise them of situation, but no response. We held for 20-25 mins, without conditions improving, then climbed VMC in holding pattern until we could pick up our IFR clearance back to point of origin. Zan told us to contact them by phone upon landing. They said we were overdue for arrival and they were about to send out search and rescue. We should have attempted to contact nome FSS again on a different transmitter to advise of our intentions, but at the time we did not know the radio we were using had a weak transponder. We should have ensured ATC was informed of our intentions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL C130, WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT, FINDING WX GOOD ENOUGH FOR VFR LNDG DETERMINED THAT IT WAS BELOW TKOF REQUIREMENT SO HELD FOR IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN THE AIR, RESULTING IN OVERFLYING THEIR FLT PLAN TIME SO SEARCH PROCS WERE BEGUN.

Narrative: CLRED APCH TO PATC IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE. ZAN LOST RADAR CONTACT AT 10000 FT. CLRED TO CTAF FREQ. ON APCH, WE DETERMINED THAT WX WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR LNDG. HOWEVER, DUE TO WINDS, WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO DEPART ON THE ONLY IFR DEP PROC. WE DECIDED TO HOLD AT THE DEPICTED POINT ON THE APCH TO WAIT FOR MORE FAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZAN NUMEROUS TIMES ON LAST ASSIGNED FREQ, BUT WERE UNABLE DUE TO LOW ALT AND WEAK RADIO XPONDER. ATTEMPTED ONCE ON NOME FSS TO ADVISE THEM OF SIT, BUT NO RESPONSE. WE HELD FOR 20-25 MINS, WITHOUT CONDITIONS IMPROVING, THEN CLBED VMC IN HOLDING PATTERN UNTIL WE COULD PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC BACK TO POINT OF ORIGIN. ZAN TOLD US TO CONTACT THEM BY PHONE UPON LNDG. THEY SAID WE WERE OVERDUE FOR ARR AND THEY WERE ABOUT TO SEND OUT SEARCH AND RESCUE. WE SHOULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT NOME FSS AGAIN ON A DIFFERENT XMITTER TO ADVISE OF OUR INTENTIONS, BUT AT THE TIME WE DID NOT KNOW THE RADIO WE WERE USING HAD A WEAK XPONDER. WE SHOULD HAVE ENSURED ATC WAS INFORMED OF OUR INTENTIONS.

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.