Narrative:

The flight, an IFR training flight, to pie. Inbound class B (at night) the altitude was given -- descend from 6000-5000 ft. I did, continued cruise. Then 5000-3000 ft. I did, continued cruise inbound. Request for VOR runway 35R approach. Request granted. Radios got quiet. After cruising about 5+ mi, going out over the water/ocean, I continued to transmit. Nothing in return. After, volumes, plugs, everything to check. Troubleshooting was accomplished. I chose to squawk 7600 to make ATC aware of the failure, thereby keeping other aircraft and myself safe. I began (holding/circling) under the floor of class B airspace, just off shore pie. During hold, several frequencys were tried. 121.5 was last resort. During hold, received and transmitted to 133.30, tpa approach. Told them of my situation/location. This told me my radios still worked. I continued attempt to contact pie. Switch back to tpa approach on 133.30. Told them that I was going to climb to 4000 ft MSL (still under class B/out of class B) to attempt better reception. At 4000 ft MSL and holding, positively received and transmitted to pie on 118.30. I received authority/authorized to land runway 35R. Only once was I near class B during radio failure. I was at 3000 ft MSL, and after attempting communications and squawk 7600. I went in closer to the airport to get light gun signals. Did not see/receive light gun signals. Quickly left the area. Note -- during this time, I only went in approximately 1-2 mi inland. Approximately 5-6 mi away from airport. I then returned to area over water, where I resumed. I then got communications with tpa approach. Upon landing -- I was told to contact tower supervisor. He directed that I should have landed, and asked why I did not. I told him I had (still) communications, although not with him. I decided to troubleshoot and attempt safe communications rather than possibly cause undue harm. Pie has large carriers and small. For a well built up city with lights at night, it might be difficult for a large carrier to see a small aztec. I decided that due to safety of flight, it is best to squawk 7600 so ATC had the big picture to keep us all safe, it seemed the best choice in VMC conditions with partial radios to climb (while keeping out of class B) to receive radios better. Upon reaching 4000 ft MSL, I was correct. Pie received transmission, and we were able to safely land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PA23 ON VECTORS FOR PRACTICE APCH TO PIE EXPERIENCES NORAD.

Narrative: THE FLT, AN IFR TRAINING FLT, TO PIE. INBOUND CLASS B (AT NIGHT) THE ALT WAS GIVEN -- DSND FROM 6000-5000 FT. I DID, CONTINUED CRUISE. THEN 5000-3000 FT. I DID, CONTINUED CRUISE INBOUND. REQUEST FOR VOR RWY 35R APCH. REQUEST GRANTED. RADIOS GOT QUIET. AFTER CRUISING ABOUT 5+ MI, GOING OUT OVER THE WATER/OCEAN, I CONTINUED TO XMIT. NOTHING IN RETURN. AFTER, VOLUMES, PLUGS, EVERYTHING TO CHK. TROUBLESHOOTING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. I CHOSE TO SQUAWK 7600 TO MAKE ATC AWARE OF THE FAILURE, THEREBY KEEPING OTHER ACFT AND MYSELF SAFE. I BEGAN (HOLDING/CIRCLING) UNDER THE FLOOR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE, JUST OFF SHORE PIE. DURING HOLD, SEVERAL FREQS WERE TRIED. 121.5 WAS LAST RESORT. DURING HOLD, RECEIVED AND XMITTED TO 133.30, TPA APCH. TOLD THEM OF MY SIT/LOCATION. THIS TOLD ME MY RADIOS STILL WORKED. I CONTINUED ATTEMPT TO CONTACT PIE. SWITCH BACK TO TPA APCH ON 133.30. TOLD THEM THAT I WAS GOING TO CLB TO 4000 FT MSL (STILL UNDER CLASS B/OUT OF CLASS B) TO ATTEMPT BETTER RECEPTION. AT 4000 FT MSL AND HOLDING, POSITIVELY RECEIVED AND XMITTED TO PIE ON 118.30. I RECEIVED AUTH TO LAND RWY 35R. ONLY ONCE WAS I NEAR CLASS B DURING RADIO FAILURE. I WAS AT 3000 FT MSL, AND AFTER ATTEMPTING COMS AND SQUAWK 7600. I WENT IN CLOSER TO THE ARPT TO GET LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. DID NOT SEE/RECEIVE LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. QUICKLY LEFT THE AREA. NOTE -- DURING THIS TIME, I ONLY WENT IN APPROX 1-2 MI INLAND. APPROX 5-6 MI AWAY FROM ARPT. I THEN RETURNED TO AREA OVER WATER, WHERE I RESUMED. I THEN GOT COMS WITH TPA APCH. UPON LNDG -- I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR SUPVR. HE DIRECTED THAT I SHOULD HAVE LANDED, AND ASKED WHY I DID NOT. I TOLD HIM I HAD (STILL) COMS, ALTHOUGH NOT WITH HIM. I DECIDED TO TROUBLESHOOT AND ATTEMPT SAFE COMS RATHER THAN POSSIBLY CAUSE UNDUE HARM. PIE HAS LARGE CARRIERS AND SMALL. FOR A WELL BUILT UP CITY WITH LIGHTS AT NIGHT, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR A LARGE CARRIER TO SEE A SMALL AZTEC. I DECIDED THAT DUE TO SAFETY OF FLT, IT IS BEST TO SQUAWK 7600 SO ATC HAD THE BIG PICTURE TO KEEP US ALL SAFE, IT SEEMED THE BEST CHOICE IN VMC CONDITIONS WITH PARTIAL RADIOS TO CLB (WHILE KEEPING OUT OF CLASS B) TO RECEIVE RADIOS BETTER. UPON REACHING 4000 FT MSL, I WAS CORRECT. PIE RECEIVED XMISSION, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY LAND.

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.