C185 pilot had radio failure in zan class C. Pilot was operating on ferry permit, and had 18 other i...

Attributes
ACN	569932
Time
Date	200212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : a11.tracon
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	569932
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flew aircraft from bethel, ak, to anchorage with stop in kenai, ak. WX at anchorage was reported as improving. 700 ft broken and 1000 ft broken was reported at area airports. After losing my only navigation radio 10 mins from my destination, I was faced with navigating across a congested area at altitudes lower than I normally fly. The altitudes were below those specified in the regulations. I chose not to declare an emergency when the GPS/communication radio failed. Approach control was very busy, though helpful. Anc international was below basic VFR and they seem to have been trying to work all the traffic on one runway. Z41 was AWOS closed. The path back to kenai would have been VFR. The navigation radio failure prompted me to want to get the airplane on the ground as soon as possible. I was concerned that the 40 min flight back to kenai would include a total radio failure. I had already requested a special VFR clearance to the destination (alternate) airport. The WX at the field was 700 broken and 10 mi visibility. The filed destination was Z41. Runway was closed for snow removal. I had asked for a special VFR into anc, but it was denied. Anc airport could have been navigated to without overflying (low over) a congested area. If there is ever a next time for this scenario, the decisions and actions could be handled differently. I would not feel pressured to get the airplane to anc. I would tell ATC that I had lost navigation radios even though I was 'a VFR flight.' I would declare an emergency in order to have access to anc where the flight could have been completed without flying over houses.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C185 PLT HAD RADIO FAILURE IN ZAN CLASS C. PLT WAS OPERATING ON FERRY PERMIT, AND HAD 18 OTHER INOP ITEMS ON THE ACFT THAT WERE NOT RECORDED IN MAINT RECORDS OR DEFERRED IN THE MEL.

Narrative: FLEW ACFT FROM BETHEL, AK, TO ANCHORAGE WITH STOP IN KENAI, AK. WX AT ANCHORAGE WAS RPTED AS IMPROVING. 700 FT BROKEN AND 1000 FT BROKEN WAS RPTED AT AREA ARPTS. AFTER LOSING MY ONLY NAV RADIO 10 MINS FROM MY DEST, I WAS FACED WITH NAVING ACROSS A CONGESTED AREA AT ALTS LOWER THAN I NORMALLY FLY. THE ALTS WERE BELOW THOSE SPECIFIED IN THE REGS. I CHOSE NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER WHEN THE GPS/COM RADIO FAILED. APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY, THOUGH HELPFUL. ANC INTL WAS BELOW BASIC VFR AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ALL THE TFC ON ONE RWY. Z41 WAS AWOS CLOSED. THE PATH BACK TO KENAI WOULD HAVE BEEN VFR. THE NAV RADIO FAILURE PROMPTED ME TO WANT TO GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND ASAP. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE 40 MIN FLT BACK TO KENAI WOULD INCLUDE A TOTAL RADIO FAILURE. I HAD ALREADY REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO THE DEST (ALTERNATE) ARPT. THE WX AT THE FIELD WAS 700 BROKEN AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. THE FILED DEST WAS Z41. RWY WAS CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL. I HAD ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR INTO ANC, BUT IT WAS DENIED. ANC ARPT COULD HAVE BEEN NAVIGATED TO WITHOUT OVERFLYING (LOW OVER) A CONGESTED AREA. IF THERE IS EVER A NEXT TIME FOR THIS SCENARIO, THE DECISIONS AND ACTIONS COULD BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. I WOULD NOT FEEL PRESSURED TO GET THE AIRPLANE TO ANC. I WOULD TELL ATC THAT I HAD LOST NAV RADIOS EVEN THOUGH I WAS 'A VFR FLT.' I WOULD DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO HAVE ACCESS TO ANC WHERE THE FLT COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT FLYING OVER HOUSES.

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.

C185 pilot had radio failure in zan class C. Pilot was operating on ferry permit, and had 18 other inoperative items on the aircraft that were not recorded in maintenance records or deferred in the MEL.