Narrative:

We started a slow descent from FL350 to FL290 approximately 140 mi from dfw. Approaching FL290, I asked for a lower altitude but got no reply from ZFW. More attempts were made on both the left, right and center VHF radios on various frequencys. Initially, we believed that ZFW had radio problems since we could still hear other xmissions, but then we lost everything and knew that we had the problem. All headsets were disconnected, switch position checked, and mikes appeared to not be stuck. We squawked 7600 and began a rapid descent, attempting to meet the expected crossing altitude of 9000 ft at braid on the blue ridge 7 arrival. We missed this altitude by 2000-3000 ft. The hand-held microphone, which is not normally used for flight, was disconnected from the first officer position and given to the observer for him to attempt contact on any approach frequency. Apparently the hand-held microphone was shorting out all position since we were able to contact approach control as we approached 9000 ft. An uneventful approach and landing were made. After landing, a thorough debrief was conducted with maintenance. All headsets and the hand-held microphone were replaced and radios worked well on the return flight. It was difficult for everyone in the cockpit to believe that we could have lost our ability to transmit and receive from 3 radios at 3 different stations in a new B767 aircraft. We didn't want to come into dfw airport with no communications. By attempting to cure the problem and regain our communications with ZFW, we delayed our descent which necessitated a high rate descent and therefore we were above the expected crossing altitude of 9000 ft at braid. If the loss of radios had occurred earlier in the flight, we would have begun our descent and stayed on a path that would have allowed us to cross braid at the expected altitude and speed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. LOST COM WITH CTR DUE TO RADIO PROB. STARTED DSCNT LATE DUE TO THE LOST COM AND MISSED XING ALT RESTR. FLC SQUAWKED 7600 AND MADE RAPID DSCNT. RADIO PROB WAS CORRECTED AND REMAINDER OF FLT WAS NORMAL.

Narrative: WE STARTED A SLOW DSCNT FROM FL350 TO FL290 APPROX 140 MI FROM DFW. APCHING FL290, I ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT BUT GOT NO REPLY FROM ZFW. MORE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE ON BOTH THE L, R AND CTR VHF RADIOS ON VARIOUS FREQS. INITIALLY, WE BELIEVED THAT ZFW HAD RADIO PROBS SINCE WE COULD STILL HEAR OTHER XMISSIONS, BUT THEN WE LOST EVERYTHING AND KNEW THAT WE HAD THE PROB. ALL HEADSETS WERE DISCONNECTED, SWITCH POS CHKED, AND MIKES APPEARED TO NOT BE STUCK. WE SQUAWKED 7600 AND BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT, ATTEMPTING TO MEET THE EXPECTED XING ALT OF 9000 FT AT BRAID ON THE BLUE RIDGE 7 ARR. WE MISSED THIS ALT BY 2000-3000 FT. THE HAND-HELD MIKE, WHICH IS NOT NORMALLY USED FOR FLT, WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE FO POS AND GIVEN TO THE OBSERVER FOR HIM TO ATTEMPT CONTACT ON ANY APCH FREQ. APPARENTLY THE HAND-HELD MIKE WAS SHORTING OUT ALL POS SINCE WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT APCH CTL AS WE APCHED 9000 FT. AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE. AFTER LNDG, A THOROUGH DEBRIEF WAS CONDUCTED WITH MAINT. ALL HEADSETS AND THE HAND-HELD MIKE WERE REPLACED AND RADIOS WORKED WELL ON THE RETURN FLT. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE IN THE COCKPIT TO BELIEVE THAT WE COULD HAVE LOST OUR ABILITY TO XMIT AND RECEIVE FROM 3 RADIOS AT 3 DIFFERENT STATIONS IN A NEW B767 ACFT. WE DIDN'T WANT TO COME INTO DFW ARPT WITH NO COMS. BY ATTEMPTING TO CURE THE PROB AND REGAIN OUR COMS WITH ZFW, WE DELAYED OUR DSCNT WHICH NECESSITATED A HIGH RATE DSCNT AND THEREFORE WE WERE ABOVE THE EXPECTED XING ALT OF 9000 FT AT BRAID. IF THE LOSS OF RADIOS HAD OCCURRED EARLIER IN THE FLT, WE WOULD HAVE BEGUN OUR DSCNT AND STAYED ON A PATH THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO CROSS BRAID AT THE EXPECTED ALT AND SPD.

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.