Lost communications.

Attributes
ACN	279911
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	279911
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing from bwi on the swann 2 departure we were given a heading of 120 degrees. I was flying and the captain was working the radios. In anticipation of the next NAVAID which was ood VOR the captain switched 'a' radio to the ood frequency. After a few mins we heard the controling agency identing himself to another aircraft as bwi tower, at which time we realized that the captain inadvertently switched the communication radios instead of the navs. The captain immediately corrected the situation, and we are not aware of any conflict. In my opinion the major contributing factor to this incident is the location of the radios. The majority of our B737-200's have the navigation radios forward of the throttles either side of the radar. On this aircraft the navigation radio is located directly below the communication which led to our error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST COMS.

Narrative: DEPARTING FROM BWI ON THE SWANN 2 DEP WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 120 DEGS. I WAS FLYING AND THE CAPT WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE NEXT NAVAID WHICH WAS OOD VOR THE CAPT SWITCHED 'A' RADIO TO THE OOD FREQ. AFTER A FEW MINS WE HEARD THE CTLING AGENCY IDENTING HIMSELF TO ANOTHER ACFT AS BWI TWR, AT WHICH TIME WE REALIZED THAT THE CAPT INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE COM RADIOS INSTEAD OF THE NAVS. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED THE SIT, AND WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY CONFLICT. IN MY OPINION THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT IS THE LOCATION OF THE RADIOS. THE MAJORITY OF OUR B737-200'S HAVE THE NAV RADIOS FORWARD OF THE THROTTLES EITHER SIDE OF THE RADAR. ON THIS ACFT THE NAV RADIO IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW THE COM WHICH LED TO OUR ERROR.

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.