An MD11 has radio and ACARS transmission problems and is unable to establish radio contact, communic...

Attributes
ACN	436168
Time
Date	199905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ns.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	436168
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At 150 NM from landing at our dst (ind), I, the first officer, successfully contacted our company for an in-range call. This was our last VHF transmission. We were unable to transmit on any VHF communication or ACARS. VHF reception always remained good. We squawked YYYY on the transponder. ZAU instructed us to 'stop the identify.' we returned to our previous code XXXX. We were given vectors and descent instructions for an arrival into ind for runway 5R ILS. The landing was uneventful. Upon shutdown at our gate, we were met by the fire department who inquired about our hijack. There never was a hijack. We suspect that using transponder codes 'near' 7500 incorrectly alerted ATC. I suspect the source of this VHF problem to be the first officer yoke transmit switch. After the last successful transmit, the switch felt sticky. Perhaps it still was making some sort of contact. The crew worked well together with communication to each other. Next time I will write down all transponder codes given to us by ATC during flight, in case we have to squawk a temporary code before returning to our discrete code.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 HAS RADIO AND ACARS XMISSION PROBS AND IS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT, COM AIR-TO-GND.

Narrative: AT 150 NM FROM LNDG AT OUR DST (IND), I, THE FO, SUCCESSFULLY CONTACTED OUR COMPANY FOR AN IN-RANGE CALL. THIS WAS OUR LAST VHF XMISSION. WE WERE UNABLE TO XMIT ON ANY VHF COM OR ACARS. VHF RECEPTION ALWAYS REMAINED GOOD. WE SQUAWKED YYYY ON THE XPONDER. ZAU INSTRUCTED US TO 'STOP THE IDENT.' WE RETURNED TO OUR PREVIOUS CODE XXXX. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS AND DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS FOR AN ARR INTO IND FOR RWY 5R ILS. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON SHUTDOWN AT OUR GATE, WE WERE MET BY THE FIRE DEPT WHO INQUIRED ABOUT OUR HIJACK. THERE NEVER WAS A HIJACK. WE SUSPECT THAT USING XPONDER CODES 'NEAR' 7500 INCORRECTLY ALERTED ATC. I SUSPECT THE SOURCE OF THIS VHF PROB TO BE THE FO YOKE XMIT SWITCH. AFTER THE LAST SUCCESSFUL XMIT, THE SWITCH FELT STICKY. PERHAPS IT STILL WAS MAKING SOME SORT OF CONTACT. THE CREW WORKED WELL TOGETHER WITH COM TO EACH OTHER. NEXT TIME I WILL WRITE DOWN ALL XPONDER CODES GIVEN TO US BY ATC DURING FLT, IN CASE WE HAVE TO SQUAWK A TEMPORARY CODE BEFORE RETURNING TO OUR DISCRETE CODE.

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.

An MD11 has radio and ACARS transmission problems and is unable to establish radio contact, communication air-to-ground.