Air carrier cleared runway heading for vectors, had lost communication.

Attributes
ACN	191691
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 37
ASRS Report	191691
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff to maintain runway heading, climb to 4000 ft. Pre-departure clearance was runway heading for radar vectors expect requested at 10 mins after departure. File route of flight was bwi dca 246/80 mol macey 1 atl. FL310 immediately after takeoff we experienced communication failure of both VHF radios. Aircraft was leveled off at 4000, runway heading. Attempted trouble shooting and numerous radio transmissions to ATC on various frequencys. Squawked 7600 and initiated a climb to FL310 10 mins after takeoff as per pre-departure clearance. Turned to intercept dca 246 radial. Was able to contact ATC at approximately 16000 ft. Flight was routine thereafter (no other problems with the radios on any frequencys). The problem was that runway heading for runway 28 bwi would not intercept the dca 246 radial. Suggest lost communication procedure when on a maintain runway heading for vectors. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states they had no further problem so did not request maintenance. Could not duplicate condition. Tried several frequencys during communication loss but not sure they were correct ones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLRED RWY HDG FOR VECTORS, HAD LOST COM.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG, CLB TO 4000 FT. PRE-DEP CLRNC WAS RWY HDG FOR RADAR VECTORS EXPECT REQUESTED AT 10 MINS AFTER DEP. FILE RTE OF FLT WAS BWI DCA 246/80 MOL MACEY 1 ATL. FL310 IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF WE EXPERIENCED COM FAILURE OF BOTH VHF RADIOS. ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT 4000, RWY HDG. ATTEMPTED TROUBLE SHOOTING AND NUMEROUS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS TO ATC ON VARIOUS FREQS. SQUAWKED 7600 AND INITIATED A CLB TO FL310 10 MINS AFTER TKOF AS PER PRE-DEP CLRNC. TURNED TO INTERCEPT DCA 246 RADIAL. WAS ABLE TO CONTACT ATC AT APPROX 16000 FT. FLT WAS ROUTINE THEREAFTER (NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIOS ON ANY FREQS). THE PROBLEM WAS THAT RWY HDG FOR RWY 28 BWI WOULD NOT INTERCEPT THE DCA 246 RADIAL. SUGGEST LOST COM PROC WHEN ON A MAINTAIN RWY HDG FOR VECTORS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THEY HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEM SO DID NOT REQUEST MAINT. COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONDITION. TRIED SEVERAL FREQS DURING COM LOSS BUT NOT SURE THEY WERE CORRECT ONES.

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.