Narrative:

ZLA sector 13 called and advised that aircraft X would be high because of a stuck microphone on their frequency. On initial contact (which was late), I issued a right turn to a heading of 180 degrees and a descent to 8000 ft. Aircraft X read back the clearance and the microphone did not unkey. At that time, I had 5 other aircraft on frequency. I issued a base turn 2 times to aircraft Y. After the second transmission, aircraft Y replied that I was unreadable due to a stuck microphone. I issued instructions to 2 regional aircraft, and they both acknowledged and complied. After about 2 mins, I started changing aircraft to a spare frequency to get away from the stuck microphone. However, aircraft Y was no longer on my frequency. (I believe aircraft Y went to 121.5 and got switched to another approach frequency.) approximately 4 mins after the stuck microphone started, I observed aircraft Z descending into my airspace on the moorpark 3 arrival. I called aircraft Z at least twice and received no reply. Aircraft Z descended on the moorpark 3 arrival to waker, and then followed the transition to the ILS to runway 6L. I had to vector aircraft xx off of the localizer for resequence to avoid aircraft Z. When aircraft Z was on about a 15 mi final, my handoff (which had been open the whole time) controller called lax tower to advise that aircraft Z was NORDO, and the tower advised that they were talking to aircraft Z. After almost 6 mins, aircraft X resolved the radio problem, and 2-WAY communications were re-established. I have 3 observations from this incident -- 1) aircraft Y advised at least twice that there was a stuck microphone on the frequency, as if I could do something about stopping it. Also, someone transmitted in the blind 'aircraft X, you have a stuck microphone.' I am surprised that an air carrier pilot doesn't know that you can't communication with an aircraft that has a stuck microphone. 2) this situation would not have been anywhere near as difficult if I had been able to communication with all of the other aircraft on the frequency. In the 'old days,' ATC had the strongest radios, and we could override aircraft xmissions. 3) 6 mins is an eternity in air traffic. It seems like there could be some kind of a cut-out to prevent extended stuck microphone sits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR EXPERIENCES 'STUCK MIKE' DURING BUSY TFC PERIOD.

Narrative: ZLA SECTOR 13 CALLED AND ADVISED THAT ACFT X WOULD BE HIGH BECAUSE OF A STUCK MIKE ON THEIR FREQ. ON INITIAL CONTACT (WHICH WAS LATE), I ISSUED A R TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 8000 FT. ACFT X READ BACK THE CLRNC AND THE MIKE DID NOT UNKEY. AT THAT TIME, I HAD 5 OTHER ACFT ON FREQ. I ISSUED A BASE TURN 2 TIMES TO ACFT Y. AFTER THE SECOND XMISSION, ACFT Y REPLIED THAT I WAS UNREADABLE DUE TO A STUCK MIKE. I ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO 2 REGIONAL ACFT, AND THEY BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS, I STARTED CHANGING ACFT TO A SPARE FREQ TO GET AWAY FROM THE STUCK MIKE. HOWEVER, ACFT Y WAS NO LONGER ON MY FREQ. (I BELIEVE ACFT Y WENT TO 121.5 AND GOT SWITCHED TO ANOTHER APCH FREQ.) APPROX 4 MINS AFTER THE STUCK MIKE STARTED, I OBSERVED ACFT Z DSNDING INTO MY AIRSPACE ON THE MOORPARK 3 ARR. I CALLED ACFT Z AT LEAST TWICE AND RECEIVED NO REPLY. ACFT Z DSNDED ON THE MOORPARK 3 ARR TO WAKER, AND THEN FOLLOWED THE TRANSITION TO THE ILS TO RWY 6L. I HAD TO VECTOR ACFT XX OFF OF THE LOC FOR RESEQUENCE TO AVOID ACFT Z. WHEN ACFT Z WAS ON ABOUT A 15 MI FINAL, MY HDOF (WHICH HAD BEEN OPEN THE WHOLE TIME) CTLR CALLED LAX TWR TO ADVISE THAT ACFT Z WAS NORDO, AND THE TWR ADVISED THAT THEY WERE TALKING TO ACFT Z. AFTER ALMOST 6 MINS, ACFT X RESOLVED THE RADIO PROB, AND 2-WAY COMS WERE RE-ESTABLISHED. I HAVE 3 OBSERVATIONS FROM THIS INCIDENT -- 1) ACFT Y ADVISED AT LEAST TWICE THAT THERE WAS A STUCK MIKE ON THE FREQ, AS IF I COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT STOPPING IT. ALSO, SOMEONE XMITTED IN THE BLIND 'ACFT X, YOU HAVE A STUCK MIKE.' I AM SURPRISED THAT AN ACR PLT DOESN'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T COM WITH AN ACFT THAT HAS A STUCK MIKE. 2) THIS SIT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR AS DIFFICULT IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO COM WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ. IN THE 'OLD DAYS,' ATC HAD THE STRONGEST RADIOS, AND WE COULD OVERRIDE ACFT XMISSIONS. 3) 6 MINS IS AN ETERNITY IN AIR TFC. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF A CUT-OUT TO PREVENT EXTENDED STUCK MIKE SITS.

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.