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2 Answers

IFR Lost Comm scenarios

Asked by: 8829 views Instrument Rating

Hi, I'm a student pilot from foreign country, so please understand my bad English. I have questions about IFR Lost comms. If I get Clearances like the below, what should I do?

  • Scenario 1. Cleared to KXYZ airport/ via QQQ (ODP), Radar Vectors to V-123, then as filed/ Climb and maintain 5000', expected 12000' 10 minutes after departure/ Frequency & Squawk
  1. Q1) After takeoff, ATC tells me only "Heading 030", then radio failure: In this case, should I maintain HDG 030 and intercept V-123? or just fly directly to V-123? and why?
  2. Q2) After takeoff, ATC tells me "Heading 030 and intercept (join) V-123", then radio failure: In this case, should I maintain HDG 030 and intercept V-123? or just fly directly to V-123? and why?
  3. Q3) Assigned altitude: 5000'/ Expected altitude: 12000'/ MEA: 11000': Should I climb up to 12000' right after the radio failure? or maintain 5000' until 10 min then 12000'?
  4. Q4) Assigned altitude: 5000'/ Expected altitude: 12000'/ MEA: 12000': Should I climb up to 12000' right after the radio failure? becaise MEA=Expected, so I don't have to consider about the time (10 min)?
  • Scenario 2. Clearance limit: XYZ VORTAC (This is not a fix which approach begins) MEA is 12000' and Feeder route altitude from XYZ VORTAC to IAF is 11000' / Radio failure happens just over the XYZ VORTAC
  1. Q1) With EFC: Hold at XYZ VORTAC until EFC and proceed approach then land. Is this right?
  2. Q2) Without EFC: Maintain altitude 12000' (Even if the feeder route altitude is 11000') and fly to IAF and hold IAF then land as close as possible to ETA. Is this right?
  • Scenario 3. Clearance limit: KXYZ airport (Destination)/ Radio failure happens in Enroute
  1. Q1) I know that I can just proceed the approach and land in this situation, but should I land as close as possible to ETA? or I don't need to consider about the ETA?

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2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Dec 06, 2015

    Scenario 1

    In all of these situations, squawk 7600 to alert ATC that you have lost communications.

    1. Fly a direct route to intercept the airway which is the route you were being vectored to. If 30 degrees will do the job, fly the 30 degree heading, otherwise turn to a direction that will intercept the airway. Be mindful of obstacles and since there is an ODP follow it first before intercepting the airway.

    2. ATC has provided an intercept heading to fly to join the airway. It must take into account any obstacles, fly 030 to intercept the airway, you are not on a vector if you are told to intercept the airway on a heading.

    3. 91.185 says you fly the highest altitude for the segment being flown. The first 10 minutes are in the first cleared segment and then the 12000 is the expected clearance after that and is the highest. If the intercept of the airway is to occur before the ten minutes is up, then the MEA is the highest. As a practical matter, ATC is going to assume you will climb to the 12000 altitude and keep any aircraft clear of that possibility.

    4. If the expected altitude did not have a time or place associated with it, then climb to the expected altitude. As previously stated, ATC will presume you may climb to the 12000 and if your transponder is working they will know your altitude.

    Scenario 2

    1. I would agree.

    2. I would agree, but in real life, ATC wants you out of their hair as soon as possible, so I would just fly the approach after the IAF.

    Scenario 3

    1. Technically, you are cleared to the airport, so you would fly first to your clearance limit which is the airport, and then to the IAF where you would hold until such time as to arrive at the IAF to commence the approach as close to the ETA as possible. Descent from the last altitude MEA occurs after reaching the IAF. In a radar environment, ATC will prefer you fly the approach as soon as you get there. I would also fly the feeder to the IAF and then descend if needed in holding to commence the approach.

    The regulations are very prescriptive and don’t do a good job of coverall all cases IMHO. What a controllers wants you to do in a radar environment is sometimes in conflict with a literal interpretation of the regulations. I would consider this an emergency situation and be willing to explain my actions after I got safely on the ground. Basically, if I know of VFR nearby or encounter it, I am going to land under VFR. Otherwise, I will make sure that to the best of my ability I will be high enough to assure myself of obstacle clearance and get out of the system as soon as possible.

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  2. jsanderson10 on Dec 06, 2015

    I really wish there was a better clarified and more realistic regulation regarding holding at the IAF when you arrive early with lost comms, vs just shooting the approach right away. Even DPE’s I’ve talked to interpret the reg differently. It seems the conversation always goes “the reg says I should do this, but in real life I would do this…”

    Anyway, it makes for some lively conversation in a checkride… 😉

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