Narrative:

I was the PIC on flight from austin to houston. Just prior to that flight I had misplaced (I thought I had lost) an ear piece to a boom microphone (supplied to me originally by company). The aircraft was an medium large transport which had been required by the FAA to have boom mikes installed. The boom microphone and receiver kit placed in the plane came without an ear piece (the ear piece is separate and given to each individual pilot for sanitary reasons). Each pilot, when he or she boards the 2 seat places his or her ear piece on the receiver stem of the boom microphone/receiver assembly and, at the end of a trip, removes that ear piece and takes it with him or her. In this instance, I could not find my ear piece (it was later found in the bottom of my manual bag wedged between pages in one of the many books I am required to carry). Because aircraft have cut-out modification on it's overhead speakers, I would not be able to hear ATC given directions. If the other pilot were to key his or her microphone on any other frequency, including the public address system. Therefore, I opted to use the non- boom microphone headsets still in the aircraft. However, an FAA inspection riding on the jump seat didn't like that and is now writing me up, even though he said nothing about it until after the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT LOSES EARPIECE FOR USE WITH BOOM MIKE. ELECTS TO USE HEADSET. ACI WRITES A VIOLATION.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC ON FLT FROM AUSTIN TO HOUSTON. JUST PRIOR TO THAT FLT I HAD MISPLACED (I THOUGHT I HAD LOST) AN EAR PIECE TO A BOOM MIKE (SUPPLIED TO ME ORIGINALLY BY COMPANY). THE ACFT WAS AN MLG WHICH HAD BEEN REQUIRED BY THE FAA TO HAVE BOOM MIKES INSTALLED. THE BOOM MIKE AND RECEIVER KIT PLACED IN THE PLANE CAME WITHOUT AN EAR PIECE (THE EAR PIECE IS SEPARATE AND GIVEN TO EACH INDIVIDUAL PLT FOR SANITARY REASONS). EACH PLT, WHEN HE OR SHE BOARDS THE 2 SEAT PLACES HIS OR HER EAR PIECE ON THE RECEIVER STEM OF THE BOOM MIKE/RECEIVER ASSEMBLY AND, AT THE END OF A TRIP, REMOVES THAT EAR PIECE AND TAKES IT WITH HIM OR HER. IN THIS INSTANCE, I COULD NOT FIND MY EAR PIECE (IT WAS LATER FOUND IN THE BOTTOM OF MY MANUAL BAG WEDGED BTWN PAGES IN ONE OF THE MANY BOOKS I AM REQUIRED TO CARRY). BECAUSE ACFT HAVE CUT-OUT MODIFICATION ON IT'S OVERHEAD SPEAKERS, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR ATC GIVEN DIRECTIONS. IF THE OTHER PLT WERE TO KEY HIS OR HER MIKE ON ANY OTHER FREQ, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYS. THEREFORE, I OPTED TO USE THE NON- BOOM MIKE HEADSETS STILL IN THE ACFT. HOWEVER, AN FAA INSPECTION RIDING ON THE JUMP SEAT DIDN'T LIKE THAT AND IS NOW WRITING ME UP, EVEN THOUGH HE SAID NOTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL AFTER THE FLT.

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.