An IFR PA28 lost communication 10 min after takeoff. At night but VFR; the pilot returned to his dep...

Attributes
ACN	792179
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	792179
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was with a student to pick up the student's recently purchased aircraft. After a short check-out flight (everything ok) we elected to start the journey. While on an IFR flight plan from ZZZ to ZZZ1 (1ST leg of this journey) I suffered a complete communications failure about 10 mins after departure. Symptoms were that I could neither receive nor transmit. I tried to raise approach; center and also the FSS without success. I was in VFR conditions and therefore elected to continue the flight under VFR and land as soon as possible. I squawked 7600. Unfamiliar with the area (it was now night) and having only VOR navigation equipment available; I returned towards the nearest untwred field ZZZ2. Realizing that ZZZ2 was only 7 mi from ZZZ; I elected to return to ZZZ to have the vendor repair the communications equipment. Upon landing at ZZZ I phoned approach who informed me that I had descended into restr airspace during my diversion (this airspace was not hot at the time). I suspect that the communications failure occurred within this restr airspace (which I had been cleared through). There are several lessons which come from this: 1) always carry a handheld transceiver as a back up (I did not have one with me). 2) thorough chkouts of the avionics on a new aircraft are as important as checking out the airframe or power plant. 3) initial flts in a 'new' aircraft are probably best done VFR in daytime.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR PA28 LOST COM 10 MIN AFTER TKOF. AT NIGHT BUT VFR; THE PILOT RETURNED TO HIS DEP ARPT BUT DSNDED VFR AND NORDO THROUGH RESTRICTED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS WITH A STUDENT TO PICK UP THE STUDENT'S RECENTLY PURCHASED ACFT. AFTER A SHORT CHK-OUT FLT (EVERYTHING OK) WE ELECTED TO START THE JOURNEY. WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 (1ST LEG OF THIS JOURNEY) I SUFFERED A COMPLETE COMS FAILURE ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER DEP. SYMPTOMS WERE THAT I COULD NEITHER RECEIVE NOR XMIT. I TRIED TO RAISE APCH; CTR AND ALSO THE FSS WITHOUT SUCCESS. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND THEREFORE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT UNDER VFR AND LAND ASAP. I SQUAWKED 7600. UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA (IT WAS NOW NIGHT) AND HAVING ONLY VOR NAV EQUIP AVAILABLE; I RETURNED TOWARDS THE NEAREST UNTWRED FIELD ZZZ2. REALIZING THAT ZZZ2 WAS ONLY 7 MI FROM ZZZ; I ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ TO HAVE THE VENDOR REPAIR THE COMS EQUIP. UPON LNDG AT ZZZ I PHONED APCH WHO INFORMED ME THAT I HAD DSNDED INTO RESTR AIRSPACE DURING MY DIVERSION (THIS AIRSPACE WAS NOT HOT AT THE TIME). I SUSPECT THAT THE COMS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN THIS RESTR AIRSPACE (WHICH I HAD BEEN CLRED THROUGH). THERE ARE SEVERAL LESSONS WHICH COME FROM THIS: 1) ALWAYS CARRY A HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER AS A BACK UP (I DID NOT HAVE ONE WITH ME). 2) THOROUGH CHKOUTS OF THE AVIONICS ON A NEW ACFT ARE AS IMPORTANT AS CHKING OUT THE AIRFRAME OR PWR PLANT. 3) INITIAL FLTS IN A 'NEW' ACFT ARE PROBABLY BEST DONE VFR IN DAYTIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

An IFR PA28 lost communication 10 min after takeoff. At night but VFR; the pilot returned to his departure airport but descended VFR and NORDO through restricted airspace.