VOR switching box missing.

Attributes
ACN	281627
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv airport : jfk
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	281627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	281630
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Preflted aircraft and read and complied with checklists. Set navigation radios for first fix after takeoff. (Robinsville VOR) some 25 mi from jfk. Taxied, takeoff and got radar vectors from departure control. When told to proceed to robinsville VOR, discovered that both CDI's were frozen in centered position. In trouble-shooting, found both VOR/DME receivers operational, and RMI needles operating normally. Notified ATC of partial navigation equipment failure. Proceeded to stl. On the ground, maintenance discovered that the 'black box' that controls VOR switching had been removed from aircraft without the proper entries being made in aircraft logbook.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VOR SWITCHING BOX MISSING.

Narrative: PREFLTED ACFT AND READ AND COMPLIED WITH CHKLISTS. SET NAV RADIOS FOR FIRST FIX AFTER TKOF. (ROBINSVILLE VOR) SOME 25 MI FROM JFK. TAXIED, TKOF AND GOT RADAR VECTORS FROM DEP CTL. WHEN TOLD TO PROCEED TO ROBINSVILLE VOR, DISCOVERED THAT BOTH CDI'S WERE FROZEN IN CTRED POS. IN TROUBLE-SHOOTING, FOUND BOTH VOR/DME RECEIVERS OPERATIONAL, AND RMI NEEDLES OPERATING NORMALLY. NOTIFIED ATC OF PARTIAL NAV EQUIP FAILURE. PROCEEDED TO STL. ON THE GND, MAINT DISCOVERED THAT THE 'BLACK BOX' THAT CTLS VOR SWITCHING HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM ACFT WITHOUT THE PROPER ENTRIES BEING MADE IN ACFT LOGBOOK.

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.