Light transport departs and has lost communication situation. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	278017
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : acy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : acy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	278017
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Captain and myself taxied out to runway to check the extent of thunderstorm coverage around the acy area for ferry flight to phl. During taxi, ground control advised us that we had a stuck microphone for about 4 mins as we taxied and checked WX radar onboard. Captain and myself discussed WX and probability of a departure. We also discussed the possible cause of the stuck microphone and actions we would take if radio problems occurred en route. We decided to depart and reported the lack of convective activity to ground controller and 3 company aircraft awaiting our PIREP. After receiving takeoff clearance, we once again checked WX radar on departure path, then advised tower we were starting the takeoff roll. Tower acknowledged all our communication. As we rotated, our 'hot mikes' failed and when asked to contact departure we (captain) acknowledged and noticed transmit annunciator did not extinguish on radio. Captain was unable to raise departure and asked me to relinquish controls and become PNF. I, too, was unable to contact departure. Captain advised we would return to the field as planned, in event of communication failure. As captain circled airfield for left traffic, I continued to attempt radio contact with tower and ground controllers. Microphone was sticking intermittently, but communication was not possible. I advised captain to look for light gun signal and heard tower clear us to land. Captain overshot runway and made right 270 degree to reintercept successfully. On final, we saw green light gun and, after landing we again saw the steady green, and taxied to gate without incident. After discussion of events with captain, we determined that radio compartment had been saturated as aircraft sat outside during storm (approximately 2 hours). This had caused the avionics problems. We were both pleased with our performance in returning to field. However, we agreed that it was a poor decision to attempt a takeoff after having radio problems in this situation. I have learned that certain sits require all equipment to be working perfectly -- like a departure into night IFR with thunderstorms en route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT DEPARTS AND HAS LOST COM SIT. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: CAPT AND MYSELF TAXIED OUT TO RWY TO CHK THE EXTENT OF TSTM COVERAGE AROUND THE ACY AREA FOR FERRY FLT TO PHL. DURING TAXI, GND CTL ADVISED US THAT WE HAD A STUCK MIKE FOR ABOUT 4 MINS AS WE TAXIED AND CHKED WX RADAR ONBOARD. CAPT AND MYSELF DISCUSSED WX AND PROBABILITY OF A DEP. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE STUCK MIKE AND ACTIONS WE WOULD TAKE IF RADIO PROBS OCCURRED ENRTE. WE DECIDED TO DEPART AND RPTED THE LACK OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO GND CTLR AND 3 COMPANY ACFT AWAITING OUR PIREP. AFTER RECEIVING TKOF CLRNC, WE ONCE AGAIN CHKED WX RADAR ON DEP PATH, THEN ADVISED TWR WE WERE STARTING THE TKOF ROLL. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED ALL OUR COM. AS WE ROTATED, OUR 'HOT MIKES' FAILED AND WHEN ASKED TO CONTACT DEP WE (CAPT) ACKNOWLEDGED AND NOTICED XMIT ANNUNCIATOR DID NOT EXTINGUISH ON RADIO. CAPT WAS UNABLE TO RAISE DEP AND ASKED ME TO RELINQUISH CTLS AND BECOME PNF. I, TOO, WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP. CAPT ADVISED WE WOULD RETURN TO THE FIELD AS PLANNED, IN EVENT OF COM FAILURE. AS CAPT CIRCLED AIRFIELD FOR L TFC, I CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR AND GND CTLRS. MIKE WAS STICKING INTERMITTENTLY, BUT COM WAS NOT POSSIBLE. I ADVISED CAPT TO LOOK FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNAL AND HEARD TWR CLR US TO LAND. CAPT OVERSHOT RWY AND MADE R 270 DEG TO REINTERCEPT SUCCESSFULLY. ON FINAL, WE SAW GREEN LIGHT GUN AND, AFTER LNDG WE AGAIN SAW THE STEADY GREEN, AND TAXIED TO GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER DISCUSSION OF EVENTS WITH CAPT, WE DETERMINED THAT RADIO COMPARTMENT HAD BEEN SATURATED AS ACFT SAT OUTSIDE DURING STORM (APPROX 2 HRS). THIS HAD CAUSED THE AVIONICS PROBS. WE WERE BOTH PLEASED WITH OUR PERFORMANCE IN RETURNING TO FIELD. HOWEVER, WE AGREED THAT IT WAS A POOR DECISION TO ATTEMPT A TKOF AFTER HAVING RADIO PROBS IN THIS SIT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT CERTAIN SITS REQUIRE ALL EQUIP TO BE WORKING PERFECTLY -- LIKE A DEP INTO NIGHT IFR WITH TSTMS ENRTE.

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.