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Air carrier widebody transport lost communication with ARTCC temporarily when coffee spilt on radio communication panels.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 101056 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198812 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ard |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 101056 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 101419 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Unsure whether we missed a frequency change, did not get a frequency change, or lost radios momentarily due to a coffee spill. If the controller gave us the frequency change, then we did not acknowledge, and no further calls were heard. Prior to realizing we hadn't spoken with center for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, and realizing we were still at cruise altitude when we should have been lower, coffee was spilled on the center console. Our ACARS unit immediately malfunctioned, and it is possible that the radios malfunctioned or we missed the frequency change at this time. Upon reestablishing contact with washington center, we were given a 180 degree turn back to sequence us for descent and landing at lga.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB LOST COM WITH ARTCC TEMPORARILY WHEN COFFEE SPILT ON RADIO COM PANELS.
Narrative: UNSURE WHETHER WE MISSED A FREQ CHANGE, DID NOT GET A FREQ CHANGE, OR LOST RADIOS MOMENTARILY DUE TO A COFFEE SPILL. IF THE CTLR GAVE US THE FREQ CHANGE, THEN WE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, AND NO FURTHER CALLS WERE HEARD. PRIOR TO REALIZING WE HADN'T SPOKEN WITH CENTER FOR APPROX 5 TO 10 MINUTES, AND REALIZING WE WERE STILL AT CRUISE ALT WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOWER, COFFEE WAS SPILLED ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. OUR ACARS UNIT IMMEDIATELY MALFUNCTIONED, AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE RADIOS MALFUNCTIONED OR WE MISSED THE FREQ CHANGE AT THIS TIME. UPON REESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH WASHINGTON CENTER, WE WERE GIVEN A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO SEQUENCE US FOR DSCNT AND LNDG AT LGA.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.