A controller working local control position during a busy period experienced a headset receiver prob...

Attributes
ACN	361963
Time
Date	199702
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	361963
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

While working local control during one of our busiest arrival/departure pushes, my headset stopped receiving. After changing to a new headset, the new headset would not receive or transmit. We thought the ics system failed and called airways facilities technicians. Backup system was not working either. Finally I plugged in a telephone handset and was able to continue working with the handset. Found out the problem was indeed the headsets. There was not a usable one in the whole facility. The ones we thought were new in the box would not work. Needless to say, I have had 7 new headsets since the first of the yr. This situation has occurred 7 times during peak traffic sits to me and numerous times to fellow controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CTLR WORKING LCL CTL POS DURING A BUSY PERIOD EXPERIENCED A HEADSET RECEIVER PROB. A SECOND HEADSET ALSO FAILED WHICH REQUIRED THE CTLR TO REVERT TO A HAND- HELD HANDSET TO XMIT AND RECEIVE. THE CTLR CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL CTL DURING ONE OF OUR BUSIEST ARR/DEP PUSHES, MY HEADSET STOPPED RECEIVING. AFTER CHANGING TO A NEW HEADSET, THE NEW HEADSET WOULD NOT RECEIVE OR XMIT. WE THOUGHT THE ICS SYS FAILED AND CALLED AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIANS. BACKUP SYS WAS NOT WORKING EITHER. FINALLY I PLUGGED IN A TELEPHONE HANDSET AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE HANDSET. FOUND OUT THE PROB WAS INDEED THE HEADSETS. THERE WAS NOT A USABLE ONE IN THE WHOLE FACILITY. THE ONES WE THOUGHT WERE NEW IN THE BOX WOULD NOT WORK. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAVE HAD 7 NEW HEADSETS SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YR. THIS SIT HAS OCCURRED 7 TIMES DURING PEAK TFC SITS TO ME AND NUMEROUS TIMES TO FELLOW CTLRS.

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.