Loss of radio contact in an air carrier medium large transport departure procedure.

Attributes
ACN	291817
Time
Date	199412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	controller military : 7 controller radar : 16 flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	291817
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from atl to the northeast. First officer flying. I (captain) experienced a stuck microphone. I took over flying duties and first officer assumed communication duty. Had not been in contact with departure since takeoff. Approaching our assigned altitude (10000 ft). First officer saw traffic to our right and suggested immediate climb or descent because he saw the traffic as a threat (looked to be at our altitude) and we were not in communication with ATC. I climbed. At 10600 ft, I looked down and saw a TCASII green arc for a descent. I immediately began a descent back to 10000 ft as we turned to the north for further avoidance. Neither of us ever head a TCASII advisory. About that time we were able to re- establish contact with ATC. In my opinion, if we had been allowed to use the hand mikes, this never would have happened because we could have unplugged the hand microphone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT IN AN ACR MLG DEP PROC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM ATL TO THE NE. FO FLYING. I (CAPT) EXPERIENCED A STUCK MIKE. I TOOK OVER FLYING DUTIES AND FO ASSUMED COM DUTY. HAD NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEP SINCE TKOF. APCHING OUR ASSIGNED ALT (10000 FT). FO SAW TFC TO OUR R AND SUGGESTED IMMEDIATE CLB OR DSCNT BECAUSE HE SAW THE TFC AS A THREAT (LOOKED TO BE AT OUR ALT) AND WE WERE NOT IN COM WITH ATC. I CLBED. AT 10600 FT, I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW A TCASII GREEN ARC FOR A DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSCNT BACK TO 10000 FT AS WE TURNED TO THE N FOR FURTHER AVOIDANCE. NEITHER OF US EVER HEAD A TCASII ADVISORY. ABOUT THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO RE- ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC. IN MY OPINION, IF WE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO USE THE HAND MIKES, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE UNPLUGGED THE HAND MIKE.

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.