First officer switched radios rather than frequencys.

Attributes
ACN	285497
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nrt
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	285497
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 490
ASRS Report	285495
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I somehow switched radio communication panel #2 from #2 VHF to #1 VHF thinking I had only changed frequencys on the #2 to en route air to air frequency. This was done while holding in position on runway 34 and waiting for a landing aircraft to clear the runway. After aircraft was well clear of runway, and repeated attempts to contact tower for takeoff clearance, it was discovered that #2 VHF was no longer on tower frequency. After changing back to tower, we were informed that reported attempts by tower to clear us for takeoff were made and that, due to no communication, aircraft on final approach had to go around. After apologizing for the mishap, we were instructed to clear runway and taxi back and hold short again. Takeoff and remainder of flight proceeded normally with no further problems. The design of md-11 communication panels is different from past flown aircraft. The 3 different heads allow you to tune any of the 3 VHF radios with the push of a button to change radios. The transmit/receive panels are right next to the communication heads and have similar buttons. This design can lead to confusion, especially during night operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO SWITCHED RADIOS RATHER THAN FREQS.

Narrative: I SOMEHOW SWITCHED RADIO COM PANEL #2 FROM #2 VHF TO #1 VHF THINKING I HAD ONLY CHANGED FREQS ON THE #2 TO ENRTE AIR TO AIR FREQ. THIS WAS DONE WHILE HOLDING IN POS ON RWY 34 AND WAITING FOR A LNDG ACFT TO CLR THE RWY. AFTER ACFT WAS WELL CLR OF RWY, AND REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT TWR FOR TKOF CLRNC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT #2 VHF WAS NO LONGER ON TWR FREQ. AFTER CHANGING BACK TO TWR, WE WERE INFORMED THAT RPTED ATTEMPTS BY TWR TO CLR US FOR TKOF WERE MADE AND THAT, DUE TO NO COM, ACFT ON FINAL APCH HAD TO GAR. AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR THE MISHAP, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLR RWY AND TAXI BACK AND HOLD SHORT AGAIN. TKOF AND REMAINDER OF FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THE DESIGN OF MD-11 COM PANELS IS DIFFERENT FROM PAST FLOWN ACFT. THE 3 DIFFERENT HEADS ALLOW YOU TO TUNE ANY OF THE 3 VHF RADIOS WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON TO CHANGE RADIOS. THE XMIT/RECEIVE PANELS ARE RIGHT NEXT TO THE COM HEADS AND HAVE SIMILAR BUTTONS. THIS DESIGN CAN LEAD TO CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHT OPS.

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.