Flight crew is on a vector for an ILS to a busy airport and endures a stuck microphone.

Attributes
ACN	287840
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	287840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for an approach to ILS runway 9R at ord. We were assigned a base leg heading of approximately 360 degrees, but not told to intercept. I noticed the localizer coming alive and advised the first officer to ask if we were cleared to intercept. At that time, we both realized that it had been quiet on the frequency for about 30-45 seconds. First officer tried to establish radio contact, but no luck. Switched to #2 radio and contact was finally re-established. I am not certain, but I believe that the first officer's microphone must have gotten stuck in the transmit position when we were given our base leg turn. We wrote up the microphone and had it replaced on the ground in ord. 2 things I would like to note: 10 our airline does not have a microphone hangar on the DC9 fleet. They have a piece of wire attached to a cheap telex microphone that we hang on the sliding window lever. A very poor arrangement that can easily lead to stuck microphone. 2) the approach controller did a superb job of clearing traffic out of our way while we were not in communication with him. We were shooting the approach to runway 9R while simultaneous approachs were being conducted to runway 9L. When we crossed the centerline of runway 9R, we were then headed for the approach course to runway 9L. We did not receive any TCASII warnings. My hat goes off to the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IS ON A VECTOR FOR AN ILS TO A BUSY ARPT AND ENDURES A STUCK MIKE.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH TO ILS RWY 9R AT ORD. WE WERE ASSIGNED A BASE LEG HDG OF APPROX 360 DEGS, BUT NOT TOLD TO INTERCEPT. I NOTICED THE LOC COMING ALIVE AND ADVISED THE FO TO ASK IF WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT. AT THAT TIME, WE BOTH REALIZED THAT IT HAD BEEN QUIET ON THE FREQ FOR ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS. FO TRIED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT, BUT NO LUCK. SWITCHED TO #2 RADIO AND CONTACT WAS FINALLY RE-ESTABLISHED. I AM NOT CERTAIN, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE FO'S MIKE MUST HAVE GOTTEN STUCK IN THE XMIT POS WHEN WE WERE GIVEN OUR BASE LEG TURN. WE WROTE UP THE MIKE AND HAD IT REPLACED ON THE GND IN ORD. 2 THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE: 10 OUR AIRLINE DOES NOT HAVE A MICROPHONE HANGAR ON THE DC9 FLEET. THEY HAVE A PIECE OF WIRE ATTACHED TO A CHEAP TELEX MIKE THAT WE HANG ON THE SLIDING WINDOW LEVER. A VERY POOR ARRANGEMENT THAT CAN EASILY LEAD TO STUCK MIKE. 2) THE APCH CTLR DID A SUPERB JOB OF CLRING TFC OUT OF OUR WAY WHILE WE WERE NOT IN COM WITH HIM. WE WERE SHOOTING THE APCH TO RWY 9R WHILE SIMULTANEOUS APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 9L. WHEN WE CROSSED THE CTRLINE OF RWY 9R, WE WERE THEN HEADED FOR THE APCH COURSE TO RWY 9L. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY TCASII WARNINGS. MY HAT GOES OFF TO THE CTLR.

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.