Narrative:

We were being vectored for an approach to ILS runway 9R at ord. We were assigned a base leg heading of approximately 360 degrees, but not told to intercept. I noticed the localizer coming alive and advised the first officer to ask if we were cleared to intercept. At that time, we both realized that it had been quiet on the frequency for about 30-45 seconds. First officer tried to establish radio contact, but no luck. Switched to #2 radio and contact was finally re-established. I am not certain, but I believe that the first officer's microphone must have gotten stuck in the transmit position when we were given our base leg turn. We wrote up the microphone and had it replaced on the ground in ord. 2 things I would like to note: 10 our airline does not have a microphone hangar on the DC9 fleet. They have a piece of wire attached to a cheap telex microphone that we hang on the sliding window lever. A very poor arrangement that can easily lead to stuck microphone. 2) the approach controller did a superb job of clearing traffic out of our way while we were not in communication with him. We were shooting the approach to runway 9R while simultaneous approachs were being conducted to runway 9L. When we crossed the centerline of runway 9R, we were then headed for the approach course to runway 9L. We did not receive any TCASII warnings. My hat goes off to the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IS ON A VECTOR FOR AN ILS TO A BUSY ARPT AND ENDURES A STUCK MIKE.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH TO ILS RWY 9R AT ORD. WE WERE ASSIGNED A BASE LEG HDG OF APPROX 360 DEGS, BUT NOT TOLD TO INTERCEPT. I NOTICED THE LOC COMING ALIVE AND ADVISED THE FO TO ASK IF WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT. AT THAT TIME, WE BOTH REALIZED THAT IT HAD BEEN QUIET ON THE FREQ FOR ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS. FO TRIED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT, BUT NO LUCK. SWITCHED TO #2 RADIO AND CONTACT WAS FINALLY RE-ESTABLISHED. I AM NOT CERTAIN, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE FO'S MIKE MUST HAVE GOTTEN STUCK IN THE XMIT POS WHEN WE WERE GIVEN OUR BASE LEG TURN. WE WROTE UP THE MIKE AND HAD IT REPLACED ON THE GND IN ORD. 2 THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE: 10 OUR AIRLINE DOES NOT HAVE A MICROPHONE HANGAR ON THE DC9 FLEET. THEY HAVE A PIECE OF WIRE ATTACHED TO A CHEAP TELEX MIKE THAT WE HANG ON THE SLIDING WINDOW LEVER. A VERY POOR ARRANGEMENT THAT CAN EASILY LEAD TO STUCK MIKE. 2) THE APCH CTLR DID A SUPERB JOB OF CLRING TFC OUT OF OUR WAY WHILE WE WERE NOT IN COM WITH HIM. WE WERE SHOOTING THE APCH TO RWY 9R WHILE SIMULTANEOUS APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 9L. WHEN WE CROSSED THE CTRLINE OF RWY 9R, WE WERE THEN HEADED FOR THE APCH COURSE TO RWY 9L. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY TCASII WARNINGS. MY HAT GOES OFF TO THE CTLR.

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.