Date: 201503
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SRB.Airport, TN
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class E ZME
ATC / advisory: Center ZME
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Procedure; Equipment / Tooling
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: Nearing my destination airport SRB; I was handed off to Memphis Center on 132.9. I checked in; and was acknowledged; but noticed a great deal of interference on the frequency. Memphis center then cleared me to descend to 4;000 ft. direct SRB and to expect the visual approach. Ceilings were 6;000 ft. and after leveling off at 4;000 ft. conditions were VMC. Still on 132.9 I started to hear a constant buzzing on the frequency; sounded like a stuck microphone button. I called Memphis Center on 132.9 to cancel my IFR clearance; now only about 15 NM from the airport with the field in site. I received no reply; and tried several more times to reach Memphis Center using both radios. I then switched to 121.5 and attempted to reach Memphis Center; but there was still no response. An airline pilot heard my repeated attempts to reach Memphis Center on guard frequency and offered to relay a message; since he was in communication with Memphis Center. I asked him to relay my cancellation of IFR and after verifying he had my tail number correct; he told me that my cancellation had been received. I then proceeded with my visual approach into SRB and landed. After landing and shutting down on the ramp; I called Flight Service to ensure that my cancellation had been received. While waiting; the FBO employee walked to my aircraft and gave me a number to call Memphis Center. I explained the events to the person I spoke with at Memphis Center; person asked to verify the frequency I was using; and that I had not descended without canceling my IFR flight plan. I was told that they had not received my cancellation; and that the controller was trying to raise me on the frequency. I did not follow lost communication procedures; because I believed that my cancellation had been relayed and received by Memphis Center. After refueling I filed another IFR flight plan for departure; but decided to depart VFR and get my clearance in the air in case there was still a problem with the frequency. I departed VFR and another aircraft departed right after me; also on an IFR flight plan. Again I was not able to reach Memphis Center on 132.9; and neither was the pilot of the other aircraft who I heard attempting to make contact with them as well. I continued VFR until 13 miles West of SRB; still on 132.9 I was able to make contact with Memphis Center and received my IFR clearance.

Callback: The pilot advised he has not been back to the airport for possible radio issues again. He thought there might be a blind spot for radios over this airport.



Synopsis: Pilot reports not being able to contact ZME on frequency; had another pilot relay his cancellation of IFR and landed at intended airport. Pilot departed airport and along with another aircraft could not contact ZME on assigned frequency until 13 miles west of departure airport.