Loss of radio contact as air carrier medium large transport crew loses all radio communication.

Attributes
ACN	261618
Time
Date	199401
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	261618
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

First officer's leg from clt to ric. After departing clt, we were handed over to ZTL we got 1 call in, then the radios went quiet. We were able to communicate via company ACARS. We were informed that we probably had a stuck microphone. There was also a write up in the logbook on the captain's interphone switch on the yoke. After attempting to clear the stuck microphone with no resolve and repeated attempts on the other radios, we believed the problem was the intercom switch. Halfway to ric we contacted center on radio #2. We decided at this point that the captain should avoid using any of his radio controls. He consequently took over the flying duties. 40 NM from ric we regained contact from radio #3 (ACARS voice capability). We told them we had airport in sight, they cleared us to a lower altitude. We asked for visual and clearance to land. Approach cleared us for visual and also obtained clearance to land and taxi to the gate. Shortly thereafter, we lost all radios for a 3RD time and were not able to regain communication. It would have been nice to have a portable radio not connected to the shorted intercom.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT AS ACR MLG CREW LOSES ALL RADIO COM.

Narrative: FO'S LEG FROM CLT TO RIC. AFTER DEPARTING CLT, WE WERE HANDED OVER TO ZTL WE GOT 1 CALL IN, THEN THE RADIOS WENT QUIET. WE WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE VIA COMPANY ACARS. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE PROBABLY HAD A STUCK MIKE. THERE WAS ALSO A WRITE UP IN THE LOGBOOK ON THE CAPT'S INTERPHONE SWITCH ON THE YOKE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CLR THE STUCK MIKE WITH NO RESOLVE AND REPEATED ATTEMPTS ON THE OTHER RADIOS, WE BELIEVED THE PROB WAS THE INTERCOM SWITCH. HALFWAY TO RIC WE CONTACTED CTR ON RADIO #2. WE DECIDED AT THIS POINT THAT THE CAPT SHOULD AVOID USING ANY OF HIS RADIO CTLS. HE CONSEQUENTLY TOOK OVER THE FLYING DUTIES. 40 NM FROM RIC WE REGAINED CONTACT FROM RADIO #3 (ACARS VOICE CAPABILITY). WE TOLD THEM WE HAD ARPT IN SIGHT, THEY CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT. WE ASKED FOR VISUAL AND CLRNC TO LAND. APCH CLRED US FOR VISUAL AND ALSO OBTAINED CLRNC TO LAND AND TAXI TO THE GATE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE LOST ALL RADIOS FOR A 3RD TIME AND WERE NOT ABLE TO REGAIN COM. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE A PORTABLE RADIO NOT CONNECTED TO THE SHORTED INTERCOM.

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.