B737 taxiing to the gate at smf experienced radio problems and was lectured by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	613023
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 78 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	613023
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	613291
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We landed on runway 16L at smf and cleared the runway at D9. Tower was talking to other aircraft, so as we turned onto taxiway D, we switched to ground and tried several times to contact ground control. It sounded like there was a stuck microphone on ground control and we could not hear anything but static. After several attempts to contact ground, we switched back to tower and advised them that we were unable to contact ground and that we believed they may have a stuck microphone on ground control. Tower told us that there was no stuck microphone on ground control, hold our position and return to ground control. We stopped short of C-2 as directed by tower and again tried to contact ground control. After several attempts, ground control finally acknowledged us and told us to hold our position for another carrier flight that was on the ramp at the terminal. We held our position several mins while the other carrier unhooked and finally taxied out. Since our taxiway D to C1 was clear at the time, it seems to be that they were holding us in position as punishment because of the communication problem. After several mins, we were finally allowed to taxi to our gate. I asked ground control for a telephone number in order to discuss the issue. He told me that I would have to go through my company to get the number. When I called tower on the telephone, I idented myself, my flight and asked to speak to the ground controller. I was told he was busy. I then asked to talk to a supervisor and was told that none were on duty. I then asked for the name of the ground controller. I was then told that the person on the phone was the controller and he refused to give me his name. I then asked for his initials and he again refused. At this time he advised me that he was going to file a pilot deviation for taxiing 1000 ft clear of the runway without permission. I see 2 problems: 1) the communication problem on 121.7 for -300 series aircraft which started the problem, and 2) the attitude of the ground controller which caused a relative minor issue to become a major conflict. This controller's attitude has a far greater potential for causing future problems for company.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 TAXIING TO THE GATE AT SMF EXPERIENCED RADIO PROBS AND WAS LECTURED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 16L AT SMF AND CLRED THE RWY AT D9. TWR WAS TALKING TO OTHER ACFT, SO AS WE TURNED ONTO TXWY D, WE SWITCHED TO GND AND TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT GND CTL. IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A STUCK MIKE ON GND CTL AND WE COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING BUT STATIC. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT GND, WE SWITCHED BACK TO TWR AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT GND AND THAT WE BELIEVED THEY MAY HAVE A STUCK MIKE ON GND CTL. TWR TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NO STUCK MIKE ON GND CTL, HOLD OUR POS AND RETURN TO GND CTL. WE STOPPED SHORT OF C-2 AS DIRECTED BY TWR AND AGAIN TRIED TO CONTACT GND CTL. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, GND CTL FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED US AND TOLD US TO HOLD OUR POS FOR ANOTHER CARRIER FLT THAT WAS ON THE RAMP AT THE TERMINAL. WE HELD OUR POS SEVERAL MINS WHILE THE OTHER CARRIER UNHOOKED AND FINALLY TAXIED OUT. SINCE OUR TXWY D TO C1 WAS CLR AT THE TIME, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THEY WERE HOLDING US IN POS AS PUNISHMENT BECAUSE OF THE COM PROB. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, WE WERE FINALLY ALLOWED TO TAXI TO OUR GATE. I ASKED GND CTL FOR A TELEPHONE NUMBER IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE. HE TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH MY COMPANY TO GET THE NUMBER. WHEN I CALLED TWR ON THE TELEPHONE, I IDENTED MYSELF, MY FLT AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE GND CTLR. I WAS TOLD HE WAS BUSY. I THEN ASKED TO TALK TO A SUPVR AND WAS TOLD THAT NONE WERE ON DUTY. I THEN ASKED FOR THE NAME OF THE GND CTLR. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE PERSON ON THE PHONE WAS THE CTLR AND HE REFUSED TO GIVE ME HIS NAME. I THEN ASKED FOR HIS INITIALS AND HE AGAIN REFUSED. AT THIS TIME HE ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO FILE A PLTDEV FOR TAXIING 1000 FT CLR OF THE RWY WITHOUT PERMISSION. I SEE 2 PROBS: 1) THE COM PROB ON 121.7 FOR -300 SERIES ACFT WHICH STARTED THE PROB, AND 2) THE ATTITUDE OF THE GND CTLR WHICH CAUSED A RELATIVE MINOR ISSUE TO BECOME A MAJOR CONFLICT. THIS CTLR'S ATTITUDE HAS A FAR GREATER POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING FUTURE PROBS FOR COMPANY.

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.