GA small aircraft with a stuck microphone shuts down sna TRACON for a few minutes.

Attributes
ACN	179290
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fxe
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v23
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	179290
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR flight southwest of sli VOR, radar vectors, 080 degrees join V23 southeast of sle, resume own navigation. Encountered a stuck microphone switch which stuck in the transmission mode. ATC said that had been that way for 15 mi. I had not heard from ATC for some time and it was about time for a frequency change. I attempted to call ATC and then discovered the sticking switch. Upon discovery, I was chastised by ATC for not discovering it sooner and to make sure it did not happen again. The switch in use at this time was externally mounted for use with a temporarily mounted intercom system. The system is used on various applications. The switch had 5 yrs in service. As a result of the switch being external and that on the other yoke there was another switch, I was able to replace the switch in flight with no loss of communications. The aircraft was also equipped with an internal push-to-talk switch on the yoke which could be used as a backup. Subsequent communications were ok. Conclusion: since the push-to-talk switch was externally mounted and not an integral part of the aircraft's systems, repairing them there was possible and desirable. Had the problem been internal to the aircraft, the outcome may have been entirely different--I may never have been able to contact ATC again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WITH A STUCK MICROPHONE SHUTS DOWN SNA TRACON FOR A FEW MINUTES.

Narrative: IFR FLT SW OF SLI VOR, RADAR VECTORS, 080 DEGS JOIN V23 SE OF SLE, RESUME OWN NAV. ENCOUNTERED A STUCK MIC SWITCH WHICH STUCK IN THE XMISSION MODE. ATC SAID THAT HAD BEEN THAT WAY FOR 15 MI. I HAD NOT HEARD FROM ATC FOR SOME TIME AND IT WAS ABOUT TIME FOR A FREQ CHANGE. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL ATC AND THEN DISCOVERED THE STICKING SWITCH. UPON DISCOVERY, I WAS CHASTISED BY ATC FOR NOT DISCOVERING IT SOONER AND TO MAKE SURE IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE SWITCH IN USE AT THIS TIME WAS EXTERNALLY MOUNTED FOR USE WITH A TEMPORARILY MOUNTED INTERCOM SYS. THE SYS IS USED ON VARIOUS APPLICATIONS. THE SWITCH HAD 5 YRS IN SVC. AS A RESULT OF THE SWITCH BEING EXTERNAL AND THAT ON THE OTHER YOKE THERE WAS ANOTHER SWITCH, I WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE SWITCH IN FLT WITH NO LOSS OF COMS. THE ACFT WAS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNAL PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH ON THE YOKE WHICH COULD BE USED AS A BACKUP. SUBSEQUENT COMS WERE OK. CONCLUSION: SINCE THE PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH WAS EXTERNALLY MOUNTED AND NOT AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ACFT'S SYSTEMS, REPAIRING THEM THERE WAS POSSIBLE AND DESIRABLE. HAD THE PROB BEEN INTERNAL TO THE ACFT, THE OUTCOME MAY HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT--I MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT ATC AGAIN.

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