Temporary loss of communication frequency.

Attributes
ACN	252399
Time
Date	199309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : bdr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	252399
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Radio communication with ny approach temporarily lost apparently due to radio interference caused by turning on kenwood audio disc (compact) player and putting input into intercom music system. When I realized I had lost contact with ny approach after a min or 2, I immediately disconnected the compact disc player and turned it off. I continued on IFR flight plan I had been cleared on while continuing to attempt contact with ny approach. Both communication radios were on but apparently were still operating poorly. I finally made contact with bridgeport, ct, tower who helped me get back in touch with ny approach on 124.65. Contact was restored and I continued on course, explained to ny approach that I did not know for sure why communication was lost (later realized it could be disc player). Will have avionics shop check disc player to see if it indeed may be causing interference, and in fact, causing frequency to change. This occurred at a very crucial time as I was flying over jfk airport -- disturbing to me and to the controllers, I'm sure. Controller did not comment one way or another after communication was restored. Just gave me direct bridgeport, which was the next waypoint in my flight plan. What did I learn? Beware of any type electronics interfering with communication radios (or navigation radios). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: he still doesn't know why the compact disc player made his ATC communication radio 'jump' frequencys. His avionics maintenance person couldn't either. It was assumed correctly that the compact disc player was for the passenger's use while in cruise. Reporter indicated that his ATC communication radio has an automatic audible reducer that cuts the music out when the ATC call comes over the frequency. Looks like the compact disc worked in reverse this time. Reporter stated that he would be more cautious in the future in when he 'plugs in the tunes' and will be certain not to 'phase out' ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY LOSS OF COM FREQ.

Narrative: RADIO COM WITH NY APCH TEMPORARILY LOST APPARENTLY DUE TO RADIO INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY TURNING ON KENWOOD AUDIO DISC (COMPACT) PLAYER AND PUTTING INPUT INTO INTERCOM MUSIC SYS. WHEN I REALIZED I HAD LOST CONTACT WITH NY APCH AFTER A MIN OR 2, I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE COMPACT DISC PLAYER AND TURNED IT OFF. I CONTINUED ON IFR FLT PLAN I HAD BEEN CLRED ON WHILE CONTINUING TO ATTEMPT CONTACT WITH NY APCH. BOTH COM RADIOS WERE ON BUT APPARENTLY WERE STILL OPERATING POORLY. I FINALLY MADE CONTACT WITH BRIDGEPORT, CT, TWR WHO HELPED ME GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH NY APCH ON 124.65. CONTACT WAS RESTORED AND I CONTINUED ON COURSE, EXPLAINED TO NY APCH THAT I DID NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHY COM WAS LOST (LATER REALIZED IT COULD BE DISC PLAYER). WILL HAVE AVIONICS SHOP CHK DISC PLAYER TO SEE IF IT INDEED MAY BE CAUSING INTERFERENCE, AND IN FACT, CAUSING FREQ TO CHANGE. THIS OCCURRED AT A VERY CRUCIAL TIME AS I WAS FLYING OVER JFK ARPT -- DISTURBING TO ME AND TO THE CTLRS, I'M SURE. CTLR DID NOT COMMENT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AFTER COM WAS RESTORED. JUST GAVE ME DIRECT BRIDGEPORT, WHICH WAS THE NEXT WAYPOINT IN MY FLT PLAN. WHAT DID I LEARN? BEWARE OF ANY TYPE ELECTRONICS INTERFERING WITH COM RADIOS (OR NAV RADIOS). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHY THE COMPACT DISC PLAYER MADE HIS ATC COM RADIO 'JUMP' FREQS. HIS AVIONICS MAINT PERSON COULDN'T EITHER. IT WAS ASSUMED CORRECTLY THAT THE COMPACT DISC PLAYER WAS FOR THE PAX'S USE WHILE IN CRUISE. RPTR INDICATED THAT HIS ATC COM RADIO HAS AN AUTO AUDIBLE REDUCER THAT CUTS THE MUSIC OUT WHEN THE ATC CALL COMES OVER THE FREQ. LOOKS LIKE THE COMPACT DISC WORKED IN REVERSE THIS TIME. RPTR STATED THAT HE WOULD BE MORE CAUTIOUS IN THE FUTURE IN WHEN HE 'PLUGS IN THE TUNES' AND WILL BE CERTAIN NOT TO 'PHASE OUT' ATC.

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.