 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An MD88 on approach lost communication with the approach controller due the captain's approach book shifted forward activating the transmit switch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 432872 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cle.airport |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cle.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 432872 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 732568 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
About 30 NM out of cle at 10000 ft, I reviewed the approach and runway diagram and set my approach book back on top of my book bag. After about 4-5 mi of silence on the radio and about 10 mi from the airport, I asked the first officer to query approach control about his intentions. The first officer was unable to contact approach. I attempted to no avail, but the first officer now told me he was getting feedback even when I was not transmitting. I looked down and realized that my approach book had shifted up to my communication panel and had toggled the transmission switch to on. I removed the book, contacted and apologized to approach and continued to landing. Approach was very understanding, even though I knew we had unintentionally disrupted his operation. The communication panel on the MD88 on the captain's side has been moved down and aft to make room for the steering wheel. This puts it right at the same level as the approach books and the transmit switch is the first to be touched should the book shift.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD88 ON APCH LOST COM WITH THE APCH CTLR DUE THE CAPT'S APCH BOOK SHIFTED FORWARD ACTIVATING THE XMIT SWITCH.
Narrative: ABOUT 30 NM OUT OF CLE AT 10000 FT, I REVIEWED THE APCH AND RWY DIAGRAM AND SET MY APCH BOOK BACK ON TOP OF MY BOOK BAG. AFTER ABOUT 4-5 MI OF SILENCE ON THE RADIO AND ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE ARPT, I ASKED THE FO TO QUERY APCH CTL ABOUT HIS INTENTIONS. THE FO WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH. I ATTEMPTED TO NO AVAIL, BUT THE FO NOW TOLD ME HE WAS GETTING FEEDBACK EVEN WHEN I WAS NOT XMITTING. I LOOKED DOWN AND REALIZED THAT MY APCH BOOK HAD SHIFTED UP TO MY COM PANEL AND HAD TOGGLED THE XMISSION SWITCH TO ON. I REMOVED THE BOOK, CONTACTED AND APOLOGIZED TO APCH AND CONTINUED TO LNDG. APCH WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW WE HAD UNINTENTIONALLY DISRUPTED HIS OP. THE COM PANEL ON THE MD88 ON THE CAPT'S SIDE HAS BEEN MOVED DOWN AND AFT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PUTS IT RIGHT AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE APCH BOOKS AND THE XMIT SWITCH IS THE FIRST TO BE TOUCHED SHOULD THE BOOK SHIFT.
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.