Narrative:

Inside marker for 8R ILS, first officer flying, somehow #1 radio volume was turned off (I may have done this in turning marker audio off, switches are next to each other). Suddenly first officer starts climbing and mentions something about '8000.' den approach had cleared us 'ILS 8R, maintain 8000 until established.' thinking the first officer had missed the clearance, I told him to 'maintain the GS, continue the approach. We're inside the marker, you haven't busted the altitude.' he continued the approach and I called den tower 'inside marker for 8R.' upon releasing the microphone north, I got no reply and quickly found the #1 volume off. I heard the tower as soon as I turned up the volume and gave our position, explaining we had been off the air. He cleared us to land 8R. On rollout, I overheard the tower thanking another air carrier for their help. At the gate, I was 'critiquing' with the crew to find to my amazement that denver tower had given us a missed approach to maintain 8000 and getting no reply, asked other air carrier to sidestep to 8L, which they did. I called the tower supervisor and explained what had happened and he said things worked out well, a missed approach would have increased their already high workload. Meanwhile, I'm left to ponder how 2 experienced crew members could allow me to override a missed approach order by the tower. My company subscribes strongly to clear (CRM) as do I. As a line check airman on the large transport, I tried to teach openness in the cockpit, 'no secrets or suppressed thoughts.' yet it happened to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEV FROM CLRNC. ACR HVT INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A MISSED APCH AND DID NOT COMPLY AS PIC, PNF, HAD RECEIVER SWITCH TURNED OFF. CREW OBEYED CAPT'S COMMAND AUTHORITY, NOT ATC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: INSIDE MARKER FOR 8R ILS, FO FLYING, SOMEHOW #1 RADIO VOLUME WAS TURNED OFF (I MAY HAVE DONE THIS IN TURNING MARKER AUDIO OFF, SWITCHES ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER). SUDDENLY FO STARTS CLBING AND MENTIONS SOMETHING ABOUT '8000.' DEN APCH HAD CLRED US 'ILS 8R, MAINTAIN 8000 UNTIL ESTABLISHED.' THINKING THE FO HAD MISSED THE CLRNC, I TOLD HIM TO 'MAINTAIN THE GS, CONTINUE THE APCH. WE'RE INSIDE THE MARKER, YOU HAVEN'T BUSTED THE ALT.' HE CONTINUED THE APCH AND I CALLED DEN TWR 'INSIDE MARKER FOR 8R.' UPON RELEASING THE MIC N, I GOT NO REPLY AND QUICKLY FOUND THE #1 VOLUME OFF. I HEARD THE TWR AS SOON AS I TURNED UP THE VOLUME AND GAVE OUR POS, EXPLAINING WE HAD BEEN OFF THE AIR. HE CLRED US TO LAND 8R. ON ROLLOUT, I OVERHEARD THE TWR THANKING ANOTHER ACR FOR THEIR HELP. AT THE GATE, I WAS 'CRITIQUING' WITH THE CREW TO FIND TO MY AMAZEMENT THAT DENVER TWR HAD GIVEN US A MISSED APCH TO MAINTAIN 8000 AND GETTING NO REPLY, ASKED OTHER ACR TO SIDESTEP TO 8L, WHICH THEY DID. I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE SAID THINGS WORKED OUT WELL, A MISSED APCH WOULD HAVE INCREASED THEIR ALREADY HIGH WORKLOAD. MEANWHILE, I'M L TO PONDER HOW 2 EXPERIENCED CREW MEMBERS COULD ALLOW ME TO OVERRIDE A MISSED APCH ORDER BY THE TWR. MY COMPANY SUBSCRIBES STRONGLY TO CLR (CRM) AS DO I. AS A LINE CHK AIRMAN ON THE LGT, I TRIED TO TEACH OPENNESS IN THE COCKPIT, 'NO SECRETS OR SUPPRESSED THOUGHTS.' YET IT HAPPENED TO ME.

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.