Lost comm and what I decided to do

[cvenable]

I was enjoying a nice flight in the clouds in the new Carenado Cessna 340 tonight from Yuma to Palm Springs when I lost comm on the SBONO1 arrival. I've been having some Internet connectivity issues lately so it was probably on my end, but I decided to stick it out and squawk 7600. I had just descended from 16,000 to 11,000 and was approaching the PSP VOR. Since I was in the gray soup of a broken layer and carrying /A equipment, I decided that the only safe thing to do would be to fly direct TRM from PSP and shoot the VOR Bravo approach, descending from 11,000 to 4,000 in the hold at TRM. I successfully flew the approach and landed at KPSP on 31L.

I'm a RW instrument student and curious if you guys think I made the right call if I had been in a similar RW situation. I figured the controller who would have seen me squawking 7600 would realize what I was likely doing when he saw me heading to TRM. With the mountains surrounding KPSP, I'm not sure if I had any other choice. And the SBONO1 arrival concludes with vectors from SBONO, so jumping on the only published approach procedure I could use seemed like the most predictable action if I wanted the controller to know what I was doing. Thoughts?

[rgrazian]

Howdy,

The instrument Handbook spells it out fairly clearly.
1. Squawk 7600
2. If VMC, land as soon as practicable VFR.
3. If IMC, I think in terms of Route & Altitude.

Route - Last route assigned by ATC or last route ATC advised to be expected

Altitude - The highest of: Last ATC assigned, minimum for IFR, or last altitude ATC advised to be expected.

There is some more to think about if you were given an EFC time (i.e. – in a hold, etc.)

In your case the SBONO STAR says "from over SBONO DME to expect radar vectors to final approach course." If you were close to PSP, were you were already receiving vectors for the approach? In the REAL WORLD, if I was still in IMC (and was not being vectored), I would have flown to SBONO at the last assigned altitude since it was the terminating waypoint on the STAR. Next, I would go to TRM (since it was the IAF), made the descent in the hold and shot the approach just like you did. If at any time I encountered VMC, I would have changed over to VFR and probably landed at Cochran or Bermuda to avoid the Delta since I was NORDO. Upon landing, I would have made a phone call to ATC and let them know I was A-OK.

Good luck with your Instrument training. Flying IFR is a blast!

PE folks, did I forget anything...?

[cvenable]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like we're on the same page. I had not yet received vectors before the lost comm so technically my last "instruction" was the SBONO1 arrival. The last weather I received called for ceiling at 13,000 and I was clearly in the soup at 11,000, so I couldn't trust the weather enough to try to break out near PSP while surrounded by those mountains. I knew it was clear sailing at 11,000 from SBONO to TRM where I could fly a published approach to VMC conditions which is what I did because that seemed by far the safest option, and one a controller might expect since I knew I was in radar coverage.

Good point about Cochran or Bermuda, that's one part I didn't consider and I was VMC at a point in the TRM hold that VFR to a non-towered field would have been easy. (PSP being a TRSA, though, would have seen my 7600 on the scope and dealt with other traffic accordingly, huh? Not to mention light signals in the RW.) But of course, that's why simulation is so valuable as a learning experience because you won't always naturally consider all options when you're staring at nothing but gray in between big rocks, moving at 180 knots, and then losing communications.

Thanks!

[rgrazian]

I'm not so sure continuing to KPSP in VMC would be OK.

§ 91.185 IFR operations: Two-way radio communications failure

(b) VFR conditions. If the failure occurs in VFR conditions, or if VFR conditions are encountered after the failure, each pilot shall continue the flight under VFR and land as soon as practicable

According the FARs, you are now VFR. VFR flight into Delta Airspace requires two-way radio communications. There are provisions for lost comms while in Delta airspace. But if you're not there yet, I would land at a non-towered airport. Based on the FARs, you would need the tower in sight and be receiving light signals as a clearance to land (as you said). In the real world, I'd have plopped down at one of those other airports and not even messed with it. Just my opinion. I am not a CFII. Hopefully, someone else will pipe in. I would like to know for sure. These discussions are great.

§ 91.129 Operations in Class D airspace.

(d) Communications failure. Each person who operates an aircraft in a Class D airspace area must maintain two-way radio communications with the ATC facility having jurisdiction over that area.

(1) If the aircraft radio fails in flight under IFR, the pilot must comply with § 91.185 of the part.

(2) If the aircraft radio fails in flight under VFR, the pilot in command may operate that aircraft and land if—

(i) Weather conditions are at or above basic VFR weather minimums;

(ii) Visual contact with the tower is maintained; and

(iii) A clearance to land is received.

[cvenable]

Ah, I guess by the regs that is true. Still seems like the safest course of action would be to proceed in an area under radar control rather than risk mixing it up with unsuspecting non-towered traffic, but I see your point by the letter of the law. Thanks again for the feedback. It never ceases to amaze me how much their is to know and learn in aviation.

[ncsterno]

I lost communication today at 15,000 enroute IFR in VMC from KONT-KIFP in the X-Plane Carenado C340 some time after passing TNP. As I approached EED, it occured to me that it was a little quite in the cockpit. After trying all the different frequencies, I squawcked 7600, and continued my approach and landing into Bullhead.
My question is not only if I did I did the right thing procedure wise, but why this is happening from a software standpoint. It hapened to me while talking to ground control at KEMT the night before as well in the A36.
After landing and taxiing, I changed aircraft with no result. Then I logged off the PE system and logged back on and the radios came back to life.
Has anyone else experienced this issue?
Is it acceptable to log off PE and log back on while enroute? Or should the correct procedure be to declare a communication failure and land according to the FAR's.
Chris

[Pieces]

Check and see what your amp meter indicates. PE cuts the radios off if the battery drains too far, and I've had other Carenado planes incorrectly connect the master switches to the alternator/generator. Even with all the normal electricity on, the battery still drains. I had to map a keyboard command to turn on the alternator to fix the issue.

[Brian Z]

Don't forget about 91.3 (b). It establishes PIC and what they can do in an emergency. Lost comms in IMC is an emergency. It looks like the OP handled Iit correctly. I do not think I would have deviated if I found myself in VMC unless I absolutely knew I would remain so until landing. Why make a bad situation worse by blundering around in and out of IMC trying to land.

[Mooniac]

Check and see what your amp meter indicates. PE cuts the radios off if the battery drains too far, and I've had other Carenado planes incorrectly connect the master switches to the alternator/generator. Even with all the normal electricity on, the battery still drains. I had to map a keyboard command to turn on the alternator to fix the issue.

I think I'm going to have to give up on flying the Carenado Mooney because of this issue and others related to using SimAvio with it. I've had two lost comms and a complete power failure in about 20 hours of flying time. Very annoying. The SimAvio COM2 also doesn't connect on the Mooney.