Narrative:

Air carrier X cleared into position and hold at slc on runway 16. I saw an aircraft on final for our runway, it appeared several mi out. We did not receive clearance to takeoff and I became concerned about the aircraft on final. Neither the first officer nor I wanted to query the tower in fear of blocking his takeoff clearance transmission. We did not suspect a receiver problem since we could hear other aircraft nor did we switch to the other radio and try to establish communication with the tower. We knew something was not right and I decided to exit the runway on a nearby turnoff. As I pushed the power up, we heard the aircraft on final accept a clearance to sidestep and land on runway 17. We then heard the tower say, 'X, this is the third time I've called you cleared for an immediate takeoff.' the first officer acknowledged and I then told the tower this was the first call we had heard. We had been flying this aircraft 4 legs a night for several nights and we had not experienced any radio problems. 1 other consideration was, shortly after we switched to tower on taxi-out, an aircraft had to go around due to another air carrier in position and holding. We heard the tower admonish the crew for not taking off immediately after receiving clearance. I cannot help but wonder if that crew experienced the same problem we did. There is a great deal of construction going on at slc. The runway 16 ILS is down and the previous night the taxiway lights failed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: tower supervisor said slc does have occasional dead spots where pilots cannot hear the tower. Transmitter locations have been moved but the dead spots just happen in a different area. Supervisor believes location of antenna on aircraft may be the cause. If the aircraft moves several ft they hear the tower fine.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X LOST COM WITH TWR WHILE IN POS ON APCH END OF RWY.

Narrative: ACR X CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD AT SLC ON RWY 16. I SAW AN ACFT ON FINAL FOR OUR RWY, IT APPEARED SEVERAL MI OUT. WE DID NOT RECEIVE CLRNC TO TKOF AND I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACFT ON FINAL. NEITHER THE FO NOR I WANTED TO QUERY THE TWR IN FEAR OF BLOCKING HIS TKOF CLRNC XMISSION. WE DID NOT SUSPECT A RECEIVER PROB SINCE WE COULD HEAR OTHER ACFT NOR DID WE SWITCH TO THE OTHER RADIO AND TRY TO ESTABLISH COM WITH THE TWR. WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND I DECIDED TO EXIT THE RWY ON A NEARBY TURNOFF. AS I PUSHED THE PWR UP, WE HEARD THE ACFT ON FINAL ACCEPT A CLRNC TO SIDESTEP AND LAND ON RWY 17. WE THEN HEARD THE TWR SAY, 'X, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE CALLED YOU CLRED FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF.' THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED AND I THEN TOLD THE TWR THIS WAS THE FIRST CALL WE HAD HEARD. WE HAD BEEN FLYING THIS ACFT 4 LEGS A NIGHT FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS AND WE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY RADIO PROBS. 1 OTHER CONSIDERATION WAS, SHORTLY AFTER WE SWITCHED TO TWR ON TAXI-OUT, AN ACFT HAD TO GAR DUE TO ANOTHER ACR IN POS AND HOLDING. WE HEARD THE TWR ADMONISH THE CREW FOR NOT TAKING OFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC. I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER IF THAT CREW EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROB WE DID. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT SLC. THE RWY 16 ILS IS DOWN AND THE PREVIOUS NIGHT THE TXWY LIGHTS FAILED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TWR SUPVR SAID SLC DOES HAVE OCCASIONAL DEAD SPOTS WHERE PLTS CANNOT HEAR THE TWR. XMITTER LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN MOVED BUT THE DEAD SPOTS JUST HAPPEN IN A DIFFERENT AREA. SUPVR BELIEVES LOCATION OF ANTENNA ON ACFT MAY BE THE CAUSE. IF THE ACFT MOVES SEVERAL FT THEY HEAR THE TWR FINE.

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.