Aircraft equipment problem radio communication panel.

Attributes
ACN	306047
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	306047
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff on assigned heading of 205 degrees and level at 5000 ft, complete VHF communication failure occurred. Indications on ground were that there was an open microphone in the cockpit. We suspected such, but were unable to determine which. In the trouble-shooting process, we regained communications for 1 ATC transmission for us to turn to 105 degrees (I am not positive that it was 105 degrees). We again lost all contact, so I intended to select 7600 on the transponder, but inadvertently selected 7500 instead. Subsequent trouble-shooting allowed us to first regain the captain's VHF communication at which point ATC asked us if we were squawking 7500 to which we replied in the affirmative. We asked for a new code and further clearance en route. The first officer's VHF communication was subsequently recovered. We think that the first officer's communication panel malfunctioned thus blocking all incoming xmissions to all 3 VHF communication receivers. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: while trouble-shooting, the flight crew reset the circuit breaker for the first officer communication panel, which allowed the reporter captain to regain the #1 VHF communication. Subsequently, the first officer also regained his radio by resetting circuit breakers. Captain submitted report because of the erroneous transponder code he set of 7500, which alerts ATC that the aircraft is being hijacked instead of the correct code of 7600 alerting ATC of lost communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB RADIO COM PANEL.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ON ASSIGNED HDG OF 205 DEGS AND LEVEL AT 5000 FT, COMPLETE VHF COM FAILURE OCCURRED. INDICATIONS ON GND WERE THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN MIKE IN THE COCKPIT. WE SUSPECTED SUCH, BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHICH. IN THE TROUBLE-SHOOTING PROCESS, WE REGAINED COMS FOR 1 ATC XMISSION FOR US TO TURN TO 105 DEGS (I AM NOT POSITIVE THAT IT WAS 105 DEGS). WE AGAIN LOST ALL CONTACT, SO I INTENDED TO SELECT 7600 ON THE XPONDER, BUT INADVERTENTLY SELECTED 7500 INSTEAD. SUBSEQUENT TROUBLE-SHOOTING ALLOWED US TO FIRST REGAIN THE CAPT'S VHF COM AT WHICH POINT ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE SQUAWKING 7500 TO WHICH WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE ASKED FOR A NEW CODE AND FURTHER CLRNC ENRTE. THE FO'S VHF COM WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED. WE THINK THAT THE FO'S COM PANEL MALFUNCTIONED THUS BLOCKING ALL INCOMING XMISSIONS TO ALL 3 VHF COM RECEIVERS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WHILE TROUBLE-SHOOTING, THE FLC RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE FO COM PANEL, WHICH ALLOWED THE RPTR CAPT TO REGAIN THE #1 VHF COM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FO ALSO REGAINED HIS RADIO BY RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKERS. CAPT SUBMITTED RPT BECAUSE OF THE ERRONEOUS XPONDER CODE HE SET OF 7500, WHICH ALERTS ATC THAT THE ACFT IS BEING HIJACKED INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT CODE OF 7600 ALERTING ATC OF LOST COM.

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.