Faulty small transport radios caused an air carrier to go around.

Attributes
ACN	267132
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	267132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was instructed to 'position and hold' onto the runway. When no further clearance to take off was given in short order, I realized I had lost communication. I should have cleared the runway immediately, but instead I tried to switch to my other radio to establish communication and vacated the runway only when the tower flashed the runway lights. Consequently a scheduled air carrier had to go around. It turned out that the #2 radio on which I relied (the #1 radio has always had an intermittent short problem)vibrated itself from its connectors. I should have checked the #2 radio when taxiing. Also I should have looked in the direction of the tower for light signals. I will definitely memorize the combination and meaning of the light signals from now on, and will always have my handheld in place and ready to be used!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAULTY SMT RADIOS CAUSED AN ACR TO GAR.

Narrative: I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'POS AND HOLD' ONTO THE RWY. WHEN NO FURTHER CLRNC TO TAKE OFF WAS GIVEN IN SHORT ORDER, I REALIZED I HAD LOST COM. I SHOULD HAVE CLEARED THE RWY IMMEDIATELY, BUT INSTEAD I TRIED TO SWITCH TO MY OTHER RADIO TO ESTABLISH COM AND VACATED THE RWY ONLY WHEN THE TWR FLASHED THE RWY LIGHTS. CONSEQUENTLY A SCHEDULED ACR HAD TO GAR. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE #2 RADIO ON WHICH I RELIED (THE #1 RADIO HAS ALWAYS HAD AN INTERMITTENT SHORT PROB)VIBRATED ITSELF FROM ITS CONNECTORS. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE #2 RADIO WHEN TAXIING. ALSO I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TWR FOR LIGHT SIGNALS. I WILL DEFINITELY MEMORIZE THE COMBINATION AND MEANING OF THE LIGHT SIGNALS FROM NOW ON, AND WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HANDHELD IN PLACE AND READY TO BE USED!

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.