Reporter lost air to ground communication due to stuck microphone.

Attributes
ACN	290463
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90 airport : ewp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	290463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Takeoff from runway 22R ewr normal . Clearance of 310 degree heading and 10000 ft received from departure. Approaching bwz still at 10000 ft -- realized too quiet too long. After a brief but intense flurry of frequency changes -- broadcasts -- headsets, mikes, jacks being swapped and reset I pronounced us in a no communication situation. Although far 91.185 states if failure occurs in VFR conditions (which it was) proceed to nearest practical airport. I elected to apply IFR procedures deeming it the safest and logical course of action given the circumstance. Squawked 7600. Proceeded to parke (first fix). Initiated climb to FL350. Continued troubleshooting and found stuck microphone switch in first officer control column to be culprit. Re- established communication with ZNY. Remainder of flight uneventful. An apparently simple problem but on which geometrically increased in proportion to time. Assuming the worst and overlooking the obvious led to a trying and complicated situation. Nevertheless, positive cockpit resource management and a thorough, methodic plan led to a successful resolution to the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR LOST AIR TO GND COM DUE TO STUCK MIKE.

Narrative: TKOF FROM RWY 22R EWR NORMAL . CLRNC OF 310 DEG HDG AND 10000 FT RECEIVED FROM DEP. APCHING BWZ STILL AT 10000 FT -- REALIZED TOO QUIET TOO LONG. AFTER A BRIEF BUT INTENSE FLURRY OF FREQ CHANGES -- BROADCASTS -- HEADSETS, MIKES, JACKS BEING SWAPPED AND RESET I PRONOUNCED US IN A NO COM SIT. ALTHOUGH FAR 91.185 STATES IF FAILURE OCCURS IN VFR CONDITIONS (WHICH IT WAS) PROCEED TO NEAREST PRACTICAL ARPT. I ELECTED TO APPLY IFR PROCS DEEMING IT THE SAFEST AND LOGICAL COURSE OF ACTION GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCE. SQUAWKED 7600. PROCEEDED TO PARKE (FIRST FIX). INITIATED CLB TO FL350. CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING AND FOUND STUCK MIKE SWITCH IN FO CTL COLUMN TO BE CULPRIT. RE- ESTABLISHED COM WITH ZNY. REMAINDER OF FLT UNEVENTFUL. AN APPARENTLY SIMPLE PROB BUT ON WHICH GEOMETRICALLY INCREASED IN PROPORTION TO TIME. ASSUMING THE WORST AND OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS LED TO A TRYING AND COMPLICATED SIT. NEVERTHELESS, POSITIVE COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND A THOROUGH, METHODIC PLAN LED TO A SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION TO THE SIT.

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.