Narrative:

Inbound to O'hare, ATIS reported landing in progress 22R and 27R/left. Traffic level was very heavy and we were following 2 company aircraft with very similar call signs. We were vectored by approach control for runway 22R. Intercepted localizer and were cleared for approach. When switched to tower frequency at OM, it was apparent someone had a stuck microphone on tower frequency 126.9. 2 attempts to contact tower for landing clearance were unsuccessful. Aircraft ahead of us landed. First officer started to select another tower frequency on communication #1 when I tuned communication #2 to 126.9, when a strong transmission overrode interference on frequency, clearing us to land. We landed on runway 22R but were unable to exit runway on the high speed taxiway because 2 aircraft holding short of runway 27R (for landing traffic) were occupying it. With no other place to go, we continued to rollout on runway 22R to runway 27R hold short line. Tower frequency was again garbled and tower was unable to exercise control of traffic holding short of 27R. With traffic to land behind us and no tower communication, we switched to ground frequency while still on the runway. Ground control (apparently tower local controller) advised us to immediately cross runway 27R and turn off runway 22R onto 'old scenic' taxiway. We observed traffic rolling out runway 27 and deeming the separation adequate, we immediately crossed runway 27R and exited runway 22R. When clear of both runways, we advised ground control we were clear, at which point the real ground controller got us confused with the similar call signs holding short of runway 27R in the high speed. Several xmissions were required to clarify our position and obtain taxi clearance. The margin of safety is lowered by conducting simultaneous operations to intersecting runways. On runway 22R at ord, there is no place to clear the runway without crossing the other active runway (27R) if the high speed turnoff is blocked or missed. Any failures - - mechanical, communications, coordination, etc, lower the margin to 0. In my judgement, simultaneous landing operations on runway 22R and 27R at ord, are imminently unsafe and should be discontinued!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUCK MIKE CAUSES GRIDLOCK AT THE INTXN OF RWYS 22R AND 27R DURING SIMULTANEOUS LNDGS ON THESE RWYS.

Narrative: INBOUND TO O'HARE, ATIS RPTED LNDG IN PROGRESS 22R AND 27R/L. TFC LEVEL WAS VERY HVY AND WE WERE FOLLOWING 2 COMPANY ACFT WITH VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. WE WERE VECTORED BY APCH CTL FOR RWY 22R. INTERCEPTED LOC AND WERE CLRED FOR APCH. WHEN SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AT OM, IT WAS APPARENT SOMEONE HAD A STUCK MIKE ON TWR FREQ 126.9. 2 ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. ACFT AHEAD OF US LANDED. FO STARTED TO SELECT ANOTHER TWR FREQ ON COM #1 WHEN I TUNED COM #2 TO 126.9, WHEN A STRONG XMISSION OVERRODE INTERFERENCE ON FREQ, CLRING US TO LAND. WE LANDED ON RWY 22R BUT WERE UNABLE TO EXIT RWY ON THE HIGH SPD TXWY BECAUSE 2 ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 27R (FOR LNDG TFC) WERE OCCUPYING IT. WITH NO OTHER PLACE TO GO, WE CONTINUED TO ROLLOUT ON RWY 22R TO RWY 27R HOLD SHORT LINE. TWR FREQ WAS AGAIN GARBLED AND TWR WAS UNABLE TO EXERCISE CTL OF TFC HOLDING SHORT OF 27R. WITH TFC TO LAND BEHIND US AND NO TWR COM, WE SWITCHED TO GND FREQ WHILE STILL ON THE RWY. GND CTL (APPARENTLY TWR LCL CTLR) ADVISED US TO IMMEDIATELY CROSS RWY 27R AND TURN OFF RWY 22R ONTO 'OLD SCENIC' TXWY. WE OBSERVED TFC ROLLING OUT RWY 27 AND DEEMING THE SEPARATION ADEQUATE, WE IMMEDIATELY CROSSED RWY 27R AND EXITED RWY 22R. WHEN CLR OF BOTH RWYS, WE ADVISED GND CTL WE WERE CLR, AT WHICH POINT THE REAL GND CTLR GOT US CONFUSED WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 27R IN THE HIGH SPD. SEVERAL XMISSIONS WERE REQUIRED TO CLARIFY OUR POS AND OBTAIN TAXI CLRNC. THE MARGIN OF SAFETY IS LOWERED BY CONDUCTING SIMULTANEOUS OPS TO INTERSECTING RWYS. ON RWY 22R AT ORD, THERE IS NO PLACE TO CLR THE RWY WITHOUT XING THE OTHER ACTIVE RWY (27R) IF THE HIGH SPD TURNOFF IS BLOCKED OR MISSED. ANY FAILURES - - MECHANICAL, COMS, COORD, ETC, LOWER THE MARGIN TO 0. IN MY JUDGEMENT, SIMULTANEOUS LNDG OPS ON RWY 22R AND 27R AT ORD, ARE IMMINENTLY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED!

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.