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An air carrier medium large transport reports that ord TRACON lost one of its transmitters, fortunately in VFR conditions.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 236329 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199303 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ord |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3700 |
| ASRS Report | 236329 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 236333 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Inbound ord 230 degree radial, 15 DME for runway 27L. Ord approach control transmitter failed. I continued to monitor VHF #2 while the first officer attempted contact on VHF #1 on another frequency. Approaching the airfield, first officer was unable to break in on frequency but noted mention of a new frequency for approach. I switched VHF #2 to that frequency, attempted contact, but was met with frequency congestion and chaos. I elected to attempt to stay in the 'normal' traffic flow for runway 27L, turning to 090 degrees, slowing to 210 KTS and squawking 1200 to transmit status and intentions. On downwind, ord approach finally got to us on our new found frequency and gave us a new squawk. While I consider my lost communication actions prudent and correct for this situation, I suspect others may second guess me. Note that while we did have other frequency options, we were unable to break in on those frequencys. Perhaps a dedicated 'host communication frequency' would be prudent at these high density airports. Also note my pleasure with TCASII as a traffic watch aid in this scenario. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting captain states that he went to 1200 squawk because, basically, they didn't know what else to do. The WX was VMC. He thought of VHF guard frequency but didn't do this as they found another frequency to use. All's well that ends well! The reporting crew was leading the pack, #1 in the line of traffic for the airport and felt in no real danger because of other traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR MLG RPTS THAT ORD TRACON LOST ONE OF ITS XMITTERS, FORTUNATELY IN VFR CONDITIONS.
Narrative: INBOUND ORD 230 DEG RADIAL, 15 DME FOR RWY 27L. ORD APCH CTL XMITTER FAILED. I CONTINUED TO MONITOR VHF #2 WHILE THE FO ATTEMPTED CONTACT ON VHF #1 ON ANOTHER FREQ. APCHING THE AIRFIELD, FO WAS UNABLE TO BREAK IN ON FREQ BUT NOTED MENTION OF A NEW FREQ FOR APCH. I SWITCHED VHF #2 TO THAT FREQ, ATTEMPTED CONTACT, BUT WAS MET WITH FREQ CONGESTION AND CHAOS. I ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO STAY IN THE 'NORMAL' TFC FLOW FOR RWY 27L, TURNING TO 090 DEGS, SLOWING TO 210 KTS AND SQUAWKING 1200 TO XMIT STATUS AND INTENTIONS. ON DOWNWIND, ORD APCH FINALLY GOT TO US ON OUR NEW FOUND FREQ AND GAVE US A NEW SQUAWK. WHILE I CONSIDER MY LOST COM ACTIONS PRUDENT AND CORRECT FOR THIS SIT, I SUSPECT OTHERS MAY SECOND GUESS ME. NOTE THAT WHILE WE DID HAVE OTHER FREQ OPTIONS, WE WERE UNABLE TO BREAK IN ON THOSE FREQS. PERHAPS A DEDICATED 'HOST COM FREQ' WOULD BE PRUDENT AT THESE HIGH DENSITY ARPTS. ALSO NOTE MY PLEASURE WITH TCASII AS A TFC WATCH AID IN THIS SCENARIO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING CAPT STATES THAT HE WENT TO 1200 SQUAWK BECAUSE, BASICALLY, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. THE WX WAS VMC. HE THOUGHT OF VHF GUARD FREQ BUT DIDN'T DO THIS AS THEY FOUND ANOTHER FREQ TO USE. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL! THE RPTING CREW WAS LEADING THE PACK, #1 IN THE LINE OF TFC FOR THE ARPT AND FELT IN NO REAL DANGER BECAUSE OF OTHER TFC.
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.