Narrative:

We were at +/-15 mi east of dls at 4500 ft. Proceeded down columbia gorge expecting to get to spb with 1w1 (carnas) and ttd as alternates. Showers began at bonneville dam with lowering ceilings, so dropped down to 600 ft AGL after crossing power lines at dam. Proceeded down river in class G airspace, clear of clouds, river in sight clearly, boundary mountains obscure. (Thought I was in class G conditions with electricity outage near ttd.) nearing ttd class D airspace, visibility improved, but hill tops obscured so unable to skirt class D airspace. Called tower twice but no answer. Did not think it safe to do '180' because of lack of good visibility, especially back up river with possible obscuration of power lines at bonneville. Able to clearly see steam from mill opposite ttd on washington side, so continued into class D airspace. No lights visible on oregon (south side) side near ttd. Over river, decided it to be too hazardous to attempt crossing hills to north to get to 1w1 (carnas) only 3 or 4 mi away. Called tower again as building (hotel) came in sight (near and at ttd runway, no lights visible). Decided to continue on extended right base. Called tower -- no response. Focused on opportunity to land and possible other aircraft in pattern. Couldn't see tower (no lights). Landed as no movement on runway, in pattern, or txwys. Turning off runway, I looked up, saw lights in tower, cycled #2 communication, banged it and talked to tower. #2 communication now in shop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN M20P PLT CAUGHT BY THE WX AND UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR DUE TO A FAULTY RADIO, LANDED AT TTD, A CLASS D ARPT, WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE AT +/-15 MI E OF DLS AT 4500 FT. PROCEEDED DOWN COLUMBIA GORGE EXPECTING TO GET TO SPB WITH 1W1 (CARNAS) AND TTD AS ALTERNATES. SHOWERS BEGAN AT BONNEVILLE DAM WITH LOWERING CEILINGS, SO DROPPED DOWN TO 600 FT AGL AFTER XING PWR LINES AT DAM. PROCEEDED DOWN RIVER IN CLASS G AIRSPACE, CLR OF CLOUDS, RIVER IN SIGHT CLRLY, BOUNDARY MOUNTAINS OBSCURE. (THOUGHT I WAS IN CLASS G CONDITIONS WITH ELECTRICITY OUTAGE NEAR TTD.) NEARING TTD CLASS D AIRSPACE, VISIBILITY IMPROVED, BUT HILL TOPS OBSCURED SO UNABLE TO SKIRT CLASS D AIRSPACE. CALLED TWR TWICE BUT NO ANSWER. DID NOT THINK IT SAFE TO DO '180' BECAUSE OF LACK OF GOOD VISIBILITY, ESPECIALLY BACK UP RIVER WITH POSSIBLE OBSCURATION OF PWR LINES AT BONNEVILLE. ABLE TO CLRLY SEE STEAM FROM MILL OPPOSITE TTD ON WASHINGTON SIDE, SO CONTINUED INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE. NO LIGHTS VISIBLE ON OREGON (S SIDE) SIDE NEAR TTD. OVER RIVER, DECIDED IT TO BE TOO HAZARDOUS TO ATTEMPT XING HILLS TO N TO GET TO 1W1 (CARNAS) ONLY 3 OR 4 MI AWAY. CALLED TWR AGAIN AS BUILDING (HOTEL) CAME IN SIGHT (NEAR AND AT TTD RWY, NO LIGHTS VISIBLE). DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON EXTENDED R BASE. CALLED TWR -- NO RESPONSE. FOCUSED ON OPPORTUNITY TO LAND AND POSSIBLE OTHER ACFT IN PATTERN. COULDN'T SEE TWR (NO LIGHTS). LANDED AS NO MOVEMENT ON RWY, IN PATTERN, OR TXWYS. TURNING OFF RWY, I LOOKED UP, SAW LIGHTS IN TWR, CYCLED #2 COM, BANGED IT AND TALKED TO TWR. #2 COM NOW IN SHOP.

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.