The so on an air carrier large transport inadvertently switched off the approach control frequency i...

Attributes
ACN	225766
Time
Date	199211
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	225766
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	225772
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crew experienced static on radio #1 during cruise and captain and first officer informed me they would use radio #2 (normally my radio for obtaining ATIS, communicating with company) for ATC communications. During descent, captain and first officer decided to switch back to radio #1 and first officer used radio #1 to check in with atlanta approach control. I did not copy their decision and subsequent action. I was occupied at my flight engineer station and switched up a company frequency into radio #1. Noting our DME was getting high for a normal base leg, captain expressed opinion that it was pretty quiet on radios. First officer and captain discovered problem, switched back up approach and received further approach instructions. This event occurred because we had broken our usual habit pattern, which should have alerted us that a glitch was possible. When I switched up company frequency, I almost announced my intentions -- I should have done so in hindsight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE SO ON AN ACR LGT INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED OFF THE APCH CTL FREQ IN THE WX AT ATL.

Narrative: CREW EXPERIENCED STATIC ON RADIO #1 DURING CRUISE AND CAPT AND FO INFORMED ME THEY WOULD USE RADIO #2 (NORMALLY MY RADIO FOR OBTAINING ATIS, COMMUNICATING WITH COMPANY) FOR ATC COMS. DURING DSCNT, CAPT AND FO DECIDED TO SWITCH BACK TO RADIO #1 AND FO USED RADIO #1 TO CHK IN WITH ATLANTA APCH CTL. I DID NOT COPY THEIR DECISION AND SUBSEQUENT ACTION. I WAS OCCUPIED AT MY FE STATION AND SWITCHED UP A COMPANY FREQ INTO RADIO #1. NOTING OUR DME WAS GETTING HIGH FOR A NORMAL BASE LEG, CAPT EXPRESSED OPINION THAT IT WAS PRETTY QUIET ON RADIOS. FO AND CAPT DISCOVERED PROBLEM, SWITCHED BACK UP APCH AND RECEIVED FURTHER APCH INSTRUCTIONS. THIS EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE WE HAD BROKEN OUR USUAL HABIT PATTERN, WHICH SHOULD HAVE ALERTED US THAT A GLITCH WAS POSSIBLE. WHEN I SWITCHED UP COMPANY FREQ, I ALMOST ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS -- I SHOULD HAVE DONE SO IN HINDSIGHT.

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.

The so on an air carrier large transport inadvertently switched off the approach control frequency in the WX at atl.