Medium large transport at cruise has lost communication. Able contact on 121 pt 5. Stuck microphone.

Attributes
ACN	202463
Time
Date	199202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 203 flight time total : 16013 flight time type : 3912
ASRS Report	202463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5500
ASRS Report	202471
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe 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:

While en route, approximately 50 mi from bradley VOR we lost our communications. We continued to fly the assigned route as closely as possible and were finally able to raise bradley approach on the emergency guard frequency. We then received all required clrncs and landed without incident. In retrospect it turned out to be a stuck observers microphone which disabled all of our transmissions as well as our ability to receive. If any of your readers are faced with this situation I strongly recommend a division of duties in the cockpit. One pilot fly the assigned route and altitude. One pilot work on the problem. In our case it is possible that we may have deviated slightly from the assigned route while trying to rectify the problem. Although ATC later said that there were no conflicts at anytime during the occurrence. Also for your readers, make sure you review your lost communication procedures on a regular basis.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG AT CRUISE HAS LOST COM. ABLE CONTACT ON 121 PT 5. STUCK MICROPHONE.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE, APPROX 50 MI FROM BRADLEY VOR WE LOST OUR COMS. WE CONTINUED TO FLY THE ASSIGNED RTE AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE AND WERE FINALLY ABLE TO RAISE BRADLEY APCH ON THE EMER GUARD FREQ. WE THEN RECEIVED ALL REQUIRED CLRNCS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A STUCK OBSERVERS MIKE WHICH DISABLED ALL OF OUR TRANSMISSIONS AS WELL AS OUR ABILITY TO RECEIVE. IF ANY OF YOUR READERS ARE FACED WITH THIS SITUATION I STRONGLY RECOMMEND A DIVISION OF DUTIES IN THE COCKPIT. ONE PLT FLY THE ASSIGNED RTE AND ALT. ONE PLT WORK ON THE PROBLEM. IN OUR CASE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY HAVE DEVIATED SLIGHTLY FROM THE ASSIGNED RTE WHILE TRYING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH ATC LATER SAID THAT THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS AT ANYTIME DURING THE OCCURRENCE. ALSO FOR YOUR READERS, MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW YOUR LOST COM PROCS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

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.