Pilot loss radio contact with ARTCC as a result of his turning the volume to low.

Attributes
ACN	298651
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rqz
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	298651
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cruising at 7000 ft on an IFR flight plan to runway 81J. WX was VFR above a fairly solid ceiling at approximately 4000 ft. I had some static hiss on my radio and decided to try and eliminate it. I turned my main radio down - didn't mean to leave it down - but then, after checking other radios, forgot to turn it back up. When I realized what had happened, I turned it back up and heard ATC calling for me, assuming I had radio trouble. I stated what had happened. ATC said they had tried to call me 6 times, then switched me to the next center and a lower altitude. As far as I know there were no traffic conflicts and I saw no one else near me. Contributing factors were 1) complacency, 2) low work load at the time, so I had time to 'fiddle' with things, 3) not staying focused on the job at hand until completed. It was discovered because if I haven't heard something on the radio in awhile I pull the squelch out to make sure there's at least static getting through. Lesson - don't turn down the radio without turning it right back before moving on to something else. Hiss was from my intercom squelch, discovered on return trip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOSS RADIO CONTACT WITH ARTCC AS A RESULT OF HIS TURNING THE VOLUME TO LOW.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT 7000 FT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO RWY 81J. WX WAS VFR ABOVE A FAIRLY SOLID CEILING AT APPROX 4000 FT. I HAD SOME STATIC HISS ON MY RADIO AND DECIDED TO TRY AND ELIMINATE IT. I TURNED MY MAIN RADIO DOWN - DIDN'T MEAN TO LEAVE IT DOWN - BUT THEN, AFTER CHKING OTHER RADIOS, FORGOT TO TURN IT BACK UP. WHEN I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I TURNED IT BACK UP AND HEARD ATC CALLING FOR ME, ASSUMING I HAD RADIO TROUBLE. I STATED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ATC SAID THEY HAD TRIED TO CALL ME 6 TIMES, THEN SWITCHED ME TO THE NEXT CTR AND A LOWER ALT. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AND I SAW NO ONE ELSE NEAR ME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE 1) COMPLACENCY, 2) LOW WORK LOAD AT THE TIME, SO I HAD TIME TO 'FIDDLE' WITH THINGS, 3) NOT STAYING FOCUSED ON THE JOB AT HAND UNTIL COMPLETED. IT WAS DISCOVERED BECAUSE IF I HAVEN'T HEARD SOMETHING ON THE RADIO IN AWHILE I PULL THE SQUELCH OUT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AT LEAST STATIC GETTING THROUGH. LESSON - DON'T TURN DOWN THE RADIO WITHOUT TURNING IT RIGHT BACK BEFORE MOVING ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. HISS WAS FROM MY INTERCOM SQUELCH, DISCOVERED ON RETURN TRIP.

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.