Narrative:

On takeoff from gso, runway 05, captain checked in with departure control (120.9) and was told to maintain runway heading and 10000'. After just a few mins, captain noticed other aircraft were unable to contact departure control. Captain also tried to establish contact again but was unable to do so. Returning to gso tower frequency (119.1) we were unable to establish contact on that frequency. We were able to talk to other aircraft in the area. Another aircraft reported a power failure at the ground facility in gso. We proceeded to check other gso frequency's from the plate to no avail. Returning once again to departure control with no contact, the aircraft was on runway heading at 10000', 250 KTS and IMC. Realizing other aircraft were experiencing the same situation, and being very concerned with the deteriorating situation, captain initiated a radio call in the blind on guard frequency (121.5). Setting transponder code to 7700 for 1 min, then 7600. The #2 radio was still set to tower frequency and we did receive a call back from gso tower. The transmission was very broken and still being interrupted by the power failure. The tower frequency was totally congested with xmissions from other arriving and departing traffic. Realizing the lost communication with departure control we proceeded directly to roa, our first fix. After a few more minutes we did establish contact with ZDC. The flight was routing after this. In reviewing what happened the crew coordination and communication was good. A 13 min period elapsed between takeoff and establishing contact with ZDC. This time should have been shorter I believe, realizing the developing situation. I should have checked earlier for a center frequency on the low altitude en route chart or with local FSS. It would have made things a lot easier and less time consuming. I didn't like the idea flying around IFR with several aircraft experiencing the same situation that we were in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT DUE TO GND POWER FAILURE.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM GSO, RWY 05, CAPT CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL (120.9) AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND 10000'. AFTER JUST A FEW MINS, CAPT NOTICED OTHER ACFT WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP CTL. CAPT ALSO TRIED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT AGAIN BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. RETURNING TO GSO TWR FREQ (119.1) WE WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT ON THAT FREQ. WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. ANOTHER ACFT RPTED A PWR FAILURE AT THE GND FAC IN GSO. WE PROCEEDED TO CHK OTHER GSO FREQ'S FROM THE PLATE TO NO AVAIL. RETURNING ONCE AGAIN TO DEP CTL WITH NO CONTACT, THE ACFT WAS ON RWY HDG AT 10000', 250 KTS AND IMC. REALIZING OTHER ACFT WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME SITUATION, AND BEING VERY CONCERNED WITH THE DETERIORATING SITUATION, CAPT INITIATED A RADIO CALL IN THE BLIND ON GUARD FREQ (121.5). SETTING TRANSPONDER CODE TO 7700 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600. THE #2 RADIO WAS STILL SET TO TWR FREQ AND WE DID RECEIVE A CALL BACK FROM GSO TWR. THE XMISSION WAS VERY BROKEN AND STILL BEING INTERRUPTED BY THE PWR FAILURE. THE TWR FREQ WAS TOTALLY CONGESTED WITH XMISSIONS FROM OTHER ARRIVING AND DEPARTING TFC. REALIZING THE LOST COM WITH DEP CTL WE PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO ROA, OUR FIRST FIX. AFTER A FEW MORE MINUTES WE DID ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ZDC. THE FLT WAS ROUTING AFTER THIS. IN REVIEWING WHAT HAPPENED THE CREW COORD AND COM WAS GOOD. A 13 MIN PERIOD ELAPSED BTWN TKOF AND ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH ZDC. THIS TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHORTER I BELIEVE, REALIZING THE DEVELOPING SITUATION. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED EARLIER FOR A CENTER FREQ ON THE LOW ALT ENRTE CHART OR WITH LCL FSS. IT WOULD HAVE MADE THINGS A LOT EASIER AND LESS TIME CONSUMING. I DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA FLYING AROUND IFR WITH SEVERAL ACFT EXPERIENCING THE SAME SITUATION THAT WE WERE IN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.