Lost VHF communication reception during descent in frozen precipitation.

Attributes
ACN	105927
Time
Date	198903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ott airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	105927
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In descent into bwi, experienced almost total reception failure of our VHF communication radios. I believe center and approach could hear us but we could only hear parts of clrncs etc, finally cleared up at lower altitude. Believe cause to be crack in antenna shielding on aircraft. This is the third time this winter this has happened on an large transport to me. Always in precipitation, worse in ice and snow it seems. Very scary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST VHF COM RECEPTION DURING DESCENT IN FROZEN PRECIPITATION.

Narrative: IN DSCNT INTO BWI, EXPERIENCED ALMOST TOTAL RECEPTION FAILURE OF OUR VHF COM RADIOS. I BELIEVE CENTER AND APCH COULD HEAR US BUT WE COULD ONLY HEAR PARTS OF CLRNCS ETC, FINALLY CLRED UP AT LOWER ALT. BELIEVE CAUSE TO BE CRACK IN ANTENNA SHIELDING ON ACFT. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS WINTER THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AN LGT TO ME. ALWAYS IN PRECIPITATION, WORSE IN ICE AND SNOW IT SEEMS. VERY SCARY.

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.