Controller reporter claims that tower radio transmitter hangs up thereby causing a stuck microphone ...

Attributes
ACN	208111
Time
Date	199204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lih
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lih artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	208111
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

For 3 or more yrs lih ATCT had been experiencing radio problems with stuck mikes. 6 months ago the problem was resolved. 3 days ago they decided that the solution did not meet airway facility standards. This caused a stuck microphone on 121.9 and 118.9. A damage control vehicle could not properly understand the clearance given and proceeded on runway 3 twice with very short final traffic. Airway facility does not seem to want this problem resolved. Please help, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states that the stuck microphone problem no longer exists. It was fixed recently by airway facilities personnel. He said that it was an intermittent problem for approximately 3 yrs when they discovered a relay switch hanging up and replaced it. Apparently, this necessitated some sort of modification to the switch. Several months ago, the relay switch modification was removed for unknown reasons and the problem began occurring again. 3 ucr's were filed. As a result, the modification was reinstalled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTR CLAIMS THAT TWR RADIO XMITTER HANGS UP THEREBY CAUSING A STUCK MIKE PROBLEM.

Narrative: FOR 3 OR MORE YRS LIH ATCT HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING RADIO PROBLEMS WITH STUCK MIKES. 6 MONTHS AGO THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. 3 DAYS AGO THEY DECIDED THAT THE SOLUTION DID NOT MEET AIRWAY FACILITY STANDARDS. THIS CAUSED A STUCK MIKE ON 121.9 AND 118.9. A DAMAGE CTL VEHICLE COULD NOT PROPERLY UNDERSTAND THE CLRNC GIVEN AND PROCEEDED ON RWY 3 TWICE WITH VERY SHORT FINAL TFC. AIRWAY FACILITY DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. PLEASE HELP, THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THAT THE STUCK MIKE PROBLEM NO LONGER EXISTS. IT WAS FIXED RECENTLY BY AIRWAY FACILITIES PERSONNEL. HE SAID THAT IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR APPROX 3 YRS WHEN THEY DISCOVERED A RELAY SWITCH HANGING UP AND REPLACED IT. APPARENTLY, THIS NECESSITATED SOME SORT OF MODIFICATION TO THE SWITCH. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE RELAY SWITCH MODIFICATION WAS REMOVED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND THE PROBLEM BEGAN OCCURRING AGAIN. 3 UCR'S WERE FILED. AS A RESULT, THE MODIFICATION WAS REINSTALLED.

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.

Controller reporter claims that tower radio transmitter hangs up thereby causing a stuck microphone problem.