Narrative:

Being vectored for approach to runway 16L at slc. Not yet cleared for approach, not given an intercept heading. Approximately 12 NM from the runway, slowing to 180 KIAS, captain's navigation radio on ILS frequency and #2 navigation on VOR. Captain comments that approach controller appears to be taking us through the localizer. I agreed and commented about terrain. Switched #2 navigation to ILS and attempted contact of approach. Unable to hear anything on assigned frequency. Captain began r-hand turn as I switched to another frequency. Immediately upon switching frequencys, we heard controller urgently directing turn to 210 degrees and climb to 12000 ft. Captain aggressively maneuvered aircraft and we received vectors back for second approach and landing. We never received any GPWS warnings nor saw any radio altimeter readings. On second approach, controller gave specific lost communication instructions. Given the terrain at slc, the approach plates should have something spelled out. Also, maintenance later confirmed #1 communication radio was faulty. Supplemental information from acn 432996: air carrier abcd was advised that the new ATIS was in affect. I selected ATIS on the #2 communication radio, while simultaneously monitoring approach on the #1 communication radio. Both of my communication volume switches were in the 3/4 maximum volume position. Communication #1 and #2 radio head control volume switches were at maximum. The captain stated the vector approach control had us on was taking us through the localizer course for runway 16L (at slc). The first officer verified this also on the #2 navigation. The captain immediately executed a climbing right turn to assure terrain avoidance, while the first officer attempted without success to contact approach on primary frequency (125.7). He then selected the secondary frequency (124.3). We immediately heard a radio call for a climbing right turn to heading 210 degrees and 12000 ft. We were already in the climbing turn when the first officer once again established radio communications with approach control. At this point the #2 communication was selected as the primary radio, backed up by the #1 communication radio. Approach control vectored us back into the landing sequence for an uneventful landing. Air carrier maintenance in slc did verify that the #1 communication was not functioning properly after it was removed for inspection. Additionally, neither before nor during the evasive maneuver did the GPWS or radar altimeter activate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated his airline does not have any specific guidance about special precautions at slc. Other airlines have a detailed set of cautionary notes on their tailored 10-7 pages. The pilot stated the aircraft radio just went dead. They were out of communication, as measured on the ATC tape for 37 seconds. This took them about 1 mi east of the localizer course. The crew attempted to contact slc tower on the other tower frequency of 132.65. It was dead because they were using #1 radio. They then attempted contact with #2 radio. This was immediately successful. The tower had been trying to contact the flight on guard, 121.5. Airlines do not monitor this frequency on a routine basis. The flight was being vectored at a 90 degree intercept angle. It took about 1 mi to make the turn in, after they realized a communications failure had occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW EXECUTED A MISSED APCH WHEN THEY HAD COMS FAILURE AT SLC.

Narrative: BEING VECTORED FOR APCH TO RWY 16L AT SLC. NOT YET CLRED FOR APCH, NOT GIVEN AN INTERCEPT HDG. APPROX 12 NM FROM THE RWY, SLOWING TO 180 KIAS, CAPT'S NAV RADIO ON ILS FREQ AND #2 NAV ON VOR. CAPT COMMENTS THAT APCH CTLR APPEARS TO BE TAKING US THROUGH THE LOC. I AGREED AND COMMENTED ABOUT TERRAIN. SWITCHED #2 NAV TO ILS AND ATTEMPTED CONTACT OF APCH. UNABLE TO HEAR ANYTHING ON ASSIGNED FREQ. CAPT BEGAN R-HAND TURN AS I SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ. IMMEDIATELY UPON SWITCHING FREQS, WE HEARD CTLR URGENTLY DIRECTING TURN TO 210 DEGS AND CLB TO 12000 FT. CAPT AGGRESSIVELY MANEUVERED ACFT AND WE RECEIVED VECTORS BACK FOR SECOND APCH AND LNDG. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY GPWS WARNINGS NOR SAW ANY RADIO ALTIMETER READINGS. ON SECOND APCH, CTLR GAVE SPECIFIC LOST COM INSTRUCTIONS. GIVEN THE TERRAIN AT SLC, THE APCH PLATES SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING SPELLED OUT. ALSO, MAINT LATER CONFIRMED #1 COM RADIO WAS FAULTY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 432996: ACR ABCD WAS ADVISED THAT THE NEW ATIS WAS IN AFFECT. I SELECTED ATIS ON THE #2 COM RADIO, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MONITORING APCH ON THE #1 COM RADIO. BOTH OF MY COM VOLUME SWITCHES WERE IN THE 3/4 MAX VOLUME POS. COM #1 AND #2 RADIO HEAD CTL VOLUME SWITCHES WERE AT MAX. THE CAPT STATED THE VECTOR APCH CTL HAD US ON WAS TAKING US THROUGH THE LOC COURSE FOR RWY 16L (AT SLC). THE FO VERIFIED THIS ALSO ON THE #2 NAV. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A CLBING R TURN TO ASSURE TERRAIN AVOIDANCE, WHILE THE FO ATTEMPTED WITHOUT SUCCESS TO CONTACT APCH ON PRIMARY FREQ (125.7). HE THEN SELECTED THE SECONDARY FREQ (124.3). WE IMMEDIATELY HEARD A RADIO CALL FOR A CLBING R TURN TO HDG 210 DEGS AND 12000 FT. WE WERE ALREADY IN THE CLBING TURN WHEN THE FO ONCE AGAIN ESTABLISHED RADIO COMS WITH APCH CTL. AT THIS POINT THE #2 COM WAS SELECTED AS THE PRIMARY RADIO, BACKED UP BY THE #1 COM RADIO. APCH CTL VECTORED US BACK INTO THE LNDG SEQUENCE FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ACR MAINT IN SLC DID VERIFY THAT THE #1 COM WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AFTER IT WAS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION. ADDITIONALLY, NEITHER BEFORE NOR DURING THE EVASIVE MANEUVER DID THE GPWS OR RADAR ALTIMETER ACTIVATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED HIS AIRLINE DOES NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ABOUT SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS AT SLC. OTHER AIRLINES HAVE A DETAILED SET OF CAUTIONARY NOTES ON THEIR TAILORED 10-7 PAGES. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT RADIO JUST WENT DEAD. THEY WERE OUT OF COM, AS MEASURED ON THE ATC TAPE FOR 37 SECONDS. THIS TOOK THEM ABOUT 1 MI E OF THE LOC COURSE. THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SLC TWR ON THE OTHER TWR FREQ OF 132.65. IT WAS DEAD BECAUSE THEY WERE USING #1 RADIO. THEY THEN ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH #2 RADIO. THIS WAS IMMEDIATELY SUCCESSFUL. THE TWR HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT THE FLT ON GUARD, 121.5. AIRLINES DO NOT MONITOR THIS FREQ ON A ROUTINE BASIS. THE FLT WAS BEING VECTORED AT A 90 DEG INTERCEPT ANGLE. IT TOOK ABOUT 1 MI TO MAKE THE TURN IN, AFTER THEY REALIZED A COMS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED.

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.