Air carrier widebody transport loses communication with approach controller while on vector for ILS.

Attributes
ACN	132920
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	132920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other other

Narrative:

On base leg in IMC being vectored for ILS 14R ord lost communication before cleared for approach. Realized lost communication when localizer became active with no turn in by approach control. Tried both radio heads before calling tower, who gave us the 14L approach controller and vectored us to ILS 14L approach and uneventful landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB LOSES COM WITH APCH CTLR WHILE ON VECTOR FOR ILS.

Narrative: ON BASE LEG IN IMC BEING VECTORED FOR ILS 14R ORD LOST COM BEFORE CLRED FOR APCH. REALIZED LOST COM WHEN LOC BECAME ACTIVE WITH NO TURN IN BY APCH CTL. TRIED BOTH RADIO HEADS BEFORE CALLING TWR, WHO GAVE US THE 14L APCH CTLR AND VECTORED US TO ILS 14L APCH AND UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.