C172 pilot lost communication with ZNY while in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	532375
Time
Date	200112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : isp.fss
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : y90.tracon tower : ord.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	532375
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

IFR flight plan. Lost communication en route. Continued to VFR conditions, squawked 7600. Was able to establish communication with new york radio. Advised new york radio of situation. Asked them to contact TRACON to get my number out of IFR system. They confirmed they would call TRACON. Continued to destination, but forgot to reset transponder to 1200. Bradley asked FBO operator to check for safe arrival of a 7600 aircraft. That was when I realized I forgot to change my squawk code.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT LOST COM WITH ZNY WHILE IN IMC.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN. LOST COM ENRTE. CONTINUED TO VFR CONDITIONS, SQUAWKED 7600. WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH COM WITH NEW YORK RADIO. ADVISED NEW YORK RADIO OF SIT. ASKED THEM TO CONTACT TRACON TO GET MY NUMBER OUT OF IFR SYS. THEY CONFIRMED THEY WOULD CALL TRACON. CONTINUED TO DEST, BUT FORGOT TO RESET XPONDER TO 1200. BRADLEY ASKED FBO OPERATOR TO CHK FOR SAFE ARR OF A 7600 ACFT. THAT WAS WHEN I REALIZED I FORGOT TO CHANGE MY SQUAWK CODE.

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.