Narrative:

This was my initial trip on this aircraft with a check airman in the first officer's seat and myself in the captain's seat. We were being vectored for an ILS approach to O'hare's runway 14R. We specifically requested this runway for an autolndg demonstration. When we were on a 90 degree to intercept heading, the first officer attempted to preset tower frequency in the standby radio head. He inadvertently switched the active head to tower, taking us out of contact with approach control. At the time, the first officer was flying the aircraft, and I was operating the radios. I realized the mistake and called tower and requested the frequency to get back in contact with approach. After the third attempt, tower finally gave us the correct frequency. Approach control vectored us off the approach and back for landing. As crowded as the skies are over O'hare, this obviously could have been a serious problem. During the entire time we were NORDO, we both kept a visual scan outside as well as TCASII for a traffic conflict and thankfully found none. Upon debriefing the flight, the check airman stated that it was policy to preset frequencys in the standby window in anticipation of a frequency change. I disagree with this policy. I would prefer to have the previous frequency (that you knew to be correct) as a backup. Also, this is another lesson in not mixing duties. As the first officer was busy flying, it would have been much easier for me to change frequencys because my attention would not have been diverted. All in all, a good first trip. I now have a couple more things to brief my first officer's about.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHK AIRMAN ON IOE FLT FOR NEW CAPT MISSETS FREQ. BECOMES NORDO ACFT WITH TRACON ON APCH.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY INITIAL TRIP ON THIS ACFT WITH A CHK AIRMAN IN THE FO'S SEAT AND MYSELF IN THE CAPT'S SEAT. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH TO O'HARE'S RWY 14R. WE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THIS RWY FOR AN AUTOLNDG DEMONSTRATION. WHEN WE WERE ON A 90 DEG TO INTERCEPT HDG, THE FO ATTEMPTED TO PRESET TWR FREQ IN THE STANDBY RADIO HEAD. HE INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE ACTIVE HEAD TO TWR, TAKING US OUT OF CONTACT WITH APCH CTL. AT THE TIME, THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, AND I WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS. I REALIZED THE MISTAKE AND CALLED TWR AND REQUESTED THE FREQ TO GET BACK IN CONTACT WITH APCH. AFTER THE THIRD ATTEMPT, TWR FINALLY GAVE US THE CORRECT FREQ. APCH CTL VECTORED US OFF THE APCH AND BACK FOR LNDG. AS CROWDED AS THE SKIES ARE OVER O'HARE, THIS OBVIOUSLY COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS PROB. DURING THE ENTIRE TIME WE WERE NORDO, WE BOTH KEPT A VISUAL SCAN OUTSIDE AS WELL AS TCASII FOR A TFC CONFLICT AND THANKFULLY FOUND NONE. UPON DEBRIEFING THE FLT, THE CHK AIRMAN STATED THAT IT WAS POLICY TO PRESET FREQS IN THE STANDBY WINDOW IN ANTICIPATION OF A FREQ CHANGE. I DISAGREE WITH THIS POLICY. I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THE PREVIOUS FREQ (THAT YOU KNEW TO BE CORRECT) AS A BACKUP. ALSO, THIS IS ANOTHER LESSON IN NOT MIXING DUTIES. AS THE FO WAS BUSY FLYING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO CHANGE FREQS BECAUSE MY ATTN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DIVERTED. ALL IN ALL, A GOOD FIRST TRIP. I NOW HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO BRIEF MY FO'S ABOUT.

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.