Flight crew of large transport while on ground awaiting takeoff clearance, first officer erroneously switched to departure frequency cutting off communication with tower.

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Attributes
ACN	175661
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	175661
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had been given a runway change and while taxiing into position on runway, we were given a new departure frequency. We have a dual head (two frequencys) communication radio. I immediately dialed in the new frequency for departure and flipped the transfer switch to the new frequency! After sitting in position for several (2-3) mins, departure control called us on the new frequency and told us to contact tower. It was then that I realized I had switched the radio erroneously to the new frequency. After returning to tower frequency, received takeoff clearance and remainder of flight was normal. This was a case of pilot error and complacency. I am in the habit of 'flipping' the xfer switch after putting in a new frequency, like I normally do en route when changing center frequencys, and I 'flipped' it at the wrong time and didn't notice it. A heads up tower controller, was able to regain communication by figuring out what frequency I may have changed to. Technology is great, but there is still no substitute for 'attention to detail'. Sitting on the active runway at a busy commercial airport is no place to be 'off frequency'!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT WHILE ON GND AWAITING TKOF CLRNC, FO ERRONEOUSLY SWITCHED TO DEP FREQ CUTTING OFF COM WITH TWR.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A RWY CHANGE AND WHILE TAXIING INTO POS ON RWY, WE WERE GIVEN A NEW DEP FREQ. WE HAVE A DUAL HEAD (TWO FREQS) COM RADIO. I IMMEDIATELY DIALED IN THE NEW FREQ FOR DEP AND FLIPPED THE TRANSFER SWITCH TO THE NEW FREQ! AFTER SITTING IN POS FOR SEVERAL (2-3) MINS, DEP CTL CALLED US ON THE NEW FREQ AND TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED I HAD SWITCHED THE RADIO ERRONEOUSLY TO THE NEW FREQ. AFTER RETURNING TO TWR FREQ, RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC AND REMAINDER OF FLT WAS NORMAL. THIS WAS A CASE OF PLT ERROR AND COMPLACENCY. I AM IN THE HABIT OF 'FLIPPING' THE XFER SWITCH AFTER PUTTING IN A NEW FREQ, LIKE I NORMALLY DO ENRTE WHEN CHANGING CTR FREQS, AND I 'FLIPPED' IT AT THE WRONG TIME AND DIDN'T NOTICE IT. A HEADS UP TWR CTLR, WAS ABLE TO REGAIN COM BY FIGURING OUT WHAT FREQ I MAY HAVE CHANGED TO. TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT, BUT THERE IS STILL NO SUBSTITUTE FOR 'ATTN TO DETAIL'. SITTING ON THE ACTIVE RWY AT A BUSY COMMERCIAL ARPT IS NO PLACE TO BE 'OFF FREQ'!

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.