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Stuck microphone effect created on air carrier by aircraft equipment malfunction when jack box selector becomes a problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 189104 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199104 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zfw |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 189104 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 189102 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Given descent to cross hulen at 11000, already assigned 250 KTS. After a long period of no xmissions from ft worth center, the first officer called to see if he was still on frequency. They responded that we had had a stuck microphone for quite a while. I selected 'intercom' and told the first officer that he would be doing all rapid calls for the rest of the flight. After landing our company tower asked us to call ft worth center. The matter was discussed, with the controller noting that no traffic conflict(south) occurred, but that one 'might' have. For what it's worth, when you are the one with the 'stuck microphone' you don't usually know it. As far as how long a time is 'too long' for no xmissions received from the controling agency to be a 'clue' that you have a problem, it's a 'judgement call'. Also, we had an ATC jumpseat rider on board (what irony!) whose 'job' was to ride around listening to ATC controller's performance. Perhaps, without a person on the jumpseat providing an additional source of 'conversation' (we were still above 10000 ft), the 2 pilots would have noticed the 'gap' in communications a bit earlier. On the other hand, I recognize the need for him to periodically ride along to check out the ATC system.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: STUCK MICROPHONE EFFECT CREATED ON ACR BY ACFT EQUIP MALFUNCTION WHEN JACK BOX SELECTOR BECOMES A PROBLEM.
Narrative: GIVEN DSCNT TO CROSS HULEN AT 11000, ALREADY ASSIGNED 250 KTS. AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF NO XMISSIONS FROM FT WORTH CTR, THE FO CALLED TO SEE IF HE WAS STILL ON FREQ. THEY RESPONDED THAT WE HAD HAD A STUCK MICROPHONE FOR QUITE A WHILE. I SELECTED 'INTERCOM' AND TOLD THE FO THAT HE WOULD BE DOING ALL RAPID CALLS FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. AFTER LNDG OUR COMPANY TWR ASKED US TO CALL FT WORTH CTR. THE MATTER WAS DISCUSSED, WITH THE CTLR NOTING THAT NO TFC CONFLICT(S) OCCURRED, BUT THAT ONE 'MIGHT' HAVE. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WHEN YOU ARE THE ONE WITH THE 'STUCK MICROPHONE' YOU DON'T USUALLY KNOW IT. AS FAR AS HOW LONG A TIME IS 'TOO LONG' FOR NO XMISSIONS RECEIVED FROM THE CTLING AGENCY TO BE A 'CLUE' THAT YOU HAVE A PROB, IT'S A 'JUDGEMENT CALL'. ALSO, WE HAD AN ATC JUMPSEAT RIDER ON BOARD (WHAT IRONY!) WHOSE 'JOB' WAS TO RIDE AROUND LISTENING TO ATC CTLR'S PERFORMANCE. PERHAPS, WITHOUT A PERSON ON THE JUMPSEAT PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF 'CONVERSATION' (WE WERE STILL ABOVE 10000 FT), THE 2 PLTS WOULD HAVE NOTICED THE 'GAP' IN COMS A BIT EARLIER. ON THE OTHER HAND, I RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR HIM TO PERIODICALLY RIDE ALONG TO CHK OUT THE ATC SYS.
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.