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Flight crew at FL330 were unable to contact ZJX ARTCC controller for lower altitude. Later, the crew learned it may have been a stuck microphone.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 462900 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200002 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mia.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx.artcc tower : mia.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 462900 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While en route to mia at FL330, we checked in with ZJX. I was the PF and the captain was talking on the radio. We were cleared direct mia and the radio was very quiet at this late night/early morning hour. As we approached our descent point, we could not receive a reply from center, for our request for lower. After trying other radios, with no response, we finally received a center frequency from mia tower. We contacted center who gave us a turn to 340 degree heading (back to the north) for descent. On the arrival we also seemed to have intermittent communication failure, similar to a stuck microphone. The captain felt the problem may have been with his headset/microphone. Initially we felt we may have flown out of range of the center controller's radio without a handoff. However, after the communication problem on the arrival, including a complaint from the tower controller at mia about a stuck microphone, I feel the problem may have been with the captain's headset/microphone. I am not aware of any conflict caused by this period of lost communication.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC AT FL330 WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT ZJX ARTCC CTLR FOR LOWER ALT. LATER, THE CREW LEARNED IT MAY HAVE BEEN A STUCK MIKE.
Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO MIA AT FL330, WE CHKED IN WITH ZJX. I WAS THE PF AND THE CAPT WAS TALKING ON THE RADIO. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT MIA AND THE RADIO WAS VERY QUIET AT THIS LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING HR. AS WE APCHED OUR DSCNT POINT, WE COULD NOT RECEIVE A REPLY FROM CTR, FOR OUR REQUEST FOR LOWER. AFTER TRYING OTHER RADIOS, WITH NO RESPONSE, WE FINALLY RECEIVED A CTR FREQ FROM MIA TWR. WE CONTACTED CTR WHO GAVE US A TURN TO 340 DEG HDG (BACK TO THE N) FOR DSCNT. ON THE ARR WE ALSO SEEMED TO HAVE INTERMITTENT COM FAILURE, SIMILAR TO A STUCK MIKE. THE CAPT FELT THE PROB MAY HAVE BEEN WITH HIS HEADSET/MIKE. INITIALLY WE FELT WE MAY HAVE FLOWN OUT OF RANGE OF THE CTR CTLR'S RADIO WITHOUT A HDOF. HOWEVER, AFTER THE COM PROB ON THE ARR, INCLUDING A COMPLAINT FROM THE TWR CTLR AT MIA ABOUT A STUCK MIKE, I FEEL THE PROB MAY HAVE BEEN WITH THE CAPT'S HEADSET/MIKE. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY CONFLICT CAUSED BY THIS PERIOD OF LOST COM.
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.