Air carrier large transport loss of radio contact during departure climb due to stuck microphone.

Attributes
ACN	139673
Time
Date	199003
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	139673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Scheduled passenger trip iah-pbi. Clearance filed was scholes 1 departure, leeville transition J86, etc. Clearance delivery issued 'scholes 1 departure, radar vectors metzy intersection, direct leeville, J86 as filed.' (scholes VOR was off the air and not notamed by the company.) pilots at our airline do not have access to FAA NOTAMS due to the VORTAC being off the air. Low altitude prevented an Y additional navaids being used to identify metzy intersection. After 10 mins and dead reckoning to metzy intersection, we turned aircraft toward leeville and started climb to FL330, as per clearance and lost communication procedures. Leaving clouds communications were restored. The transponder was set to 7600 for 1 min, then 7700. The first officer was directed to do this. It was his habit to set transponder to standby when changing codes to prevent false warning to ATC (going through 7500, 7600, 7700, etc). He forgot to reselect transponder to 'on.' error was discovered, climb was initiated. 1) keep NOTAMS current. I would not have accepted clearance I could not navigation. 2) have some way for identing stuck transmitter. 3) do not select standby when changing transponder codes--stupid.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT DURING DEP CLIMB DUE TO STUCK MIC.

Narrative: SCHEDULED PAX TRIP IAH-PBI. CLRNC FILED WAS SCHOLES 1 DEP, LEEVILLE TRANSITION J86, ETC. CLRNC DELIVERY ISSUED 'SCHOLES 1 DEP, RADAR VECTORS METZY INTXN, DIRECT LEEVILLE, J86 AS FILED.' (SCHOLES VOR WAS OFF THE AIR AND NOT NOTAMED BY THE COMPANY.) PLTS AT OUR AIRLINE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FAA NOTAMS DUE TO THE VORTAC BEING OFF THE AIR. LOW ALT PREVENTED AN Y ADDITIONAL NAVAIDS BEING USED TO IDENT METZY INTXN. AFTER 10 MINS AND DEAD RECKONING TO METZY INTXN, WE TURNED ACFT TOWARD LEEVILLE AND STARTED CLB TO FL330, AS PER CLRNC AND LOST COM PROCS. LEAVING CLOUDS COMS WERE RESTORED. THE XPONDER WAS SET TO 7600 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7700. THE F/O WAS DIRECTED TO DO THIS. IT WAS HIS HABIT TO SET XPONDER TO STANDBY WHEN CHANGING CODES TO PREVENT FALSE WARNING TO ATC (GOING THROUGH 7500, 7600, 7700, ETC). HE FORGOT TO RESELECT XPONDER TO 'ON.' ERROR WAS DISCOVERED, CLB WAS INITIATED. 1) KEEP NOTAMS CURRENT. I WOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED CLRNC I COULD NOT NAV. 2) HAVE SOME WAY FOR IDENTING STUCK XMITTER. 3) DO NOT SELECT STANDBY WHEN CHANGING XPONDER CODES--STUPID.

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.