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The reporter turned off his autophones and lost contact with the controller while on a clearance through lax class B airspace. During troubleshooting he lost his heading control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 334174 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vny |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lax tower : atl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 1295 |
| ASRS Report | 334174 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cleared into lax class B airspace via hollywood park transition after multiple prior attempts to get controller attention unsuccessful. 8500 ft, heading 320 degrees on vny 140 degree radial. Some turbulence during multiple radio switches -- turned ADF off on audio panel (kma 24). Inadvertently turned off autophones switch for headsets, adjacent to ADF button. After communication from another aircraft and near simultaneous controller handoff, unable to raise new controller frequency. Switched radios, finally raised new controller, who advised he had heard my check-in attempts but was unable to call me. Suggested receiver problem. During troubleshooting and other distrs, drifted left of course. Problems: 1) loss of situational awareness, resulting in course deviation. 2) improper audio panel operation leading to partial loss of communications. Contributory factors: 1) high workload. 2) distraction. 3) ergonomics of kma 24 unit (audio panel) -- 20 buttons, no lock for automatic, 6-FUNCTION switch -- plenty of opportunity for error. 4) turbulence. What I learned: 1) what I knew and did not do...fly the airplane first! 2) extra care with switching in high workload areas and in turbulence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE RPTR TURNED OFF HIS AUTOPHONES AND LOST CONTACT WITH THE CTLR WHILE ON A CLRNC THROUGH LAX CLASS B AIRSPACE. DURING TROUBLESHOOTING HE LOST HIS HDG CTL.
Narrative: CLRED INTO LAX CLASS B AIRSPACE VIA HOLLYWOOD PARK TRANSITION AFTER MULTIPLE PRIOR ATTEMPTS TO GET CTLR ATTN UNSUCCESSFUL. 8500 FT, HDG 320 DEGS ON VNY 140 DEG RADIAL. SOME TURB DURING MULTIPLE RADIO SWITCHES -- TURNED ADF OFF ON AUDIO PANEL (KMA 24). INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF AUTOPHONES SWITCH FOR HEADSETS, ADJACENT TO ADF BUTTON. AFTER COM FROM ANOTHER ACFT AND NEAR SIMULTANEOUS CTLR HDOF, UNABLE TO RAISE NEW CTLR FREQ. SWITCHED RADIOS, FINALLY RAISED NEW CTLR, WHO ADVISED HE HAD HEARD MY CHK-IN ATTEMPTS BUT WAS UNABLE TO CALL ME. SUGGESTED RECEIVER PROB. DURING TROUBLESHOOTING AND OTHER DISTRS, DRIFTED L OF COURSE. PROBS: 1) LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, RESULTING IN COURSE DEV. 2) IMPROPER AUDIO PANEL OP LEADING TO PARTIAL LOSS OF COMS. CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS: 1) HIGH WORKLOAD. 2) DISTR. 3) ERGONOMICS OF KMA 24 UNIT (AUDIO PANEL) -- 20 BUTTONS, NO LOCK FOR AUTO, 6-FUNCTION SWITCH -- PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ERROR. 4) TURB. WHAT I LEARNED: 1) WHAT I KNEW AND DID NOT DO...FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST! 2) EXTRA CARE WITH SWITCHING IN HIGH WORKLOAD AREAS AND IN TURB.
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.