Narrative:

On climb out from atl to the northeast. First officer flying. I (captain) experienced a stuck microphone. I took over flying duties and first officer assumed communication duty. Had not been in contact with departure since takeoff. Approaching our assigned altitude (10000 ft). First officer saw traffic to our right and suggested immediate climb or descent because he saw the traffic as a threat (looked to be at our altitude) and we were not in communication with ATC. I climbed. At 10600 ft, I looked down and saw a TCASII green arc for a descent. I immediately began a descent back to 10000 ft as we turned to the north for further avoidance. Neither of us ever head a TCASII advisory. About that time we were able to re- establish contact with ATC. In my opinion, if we had been allowed to use the hand mikes, this never would have happened because we could have unplugged the hand microphone.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT IN AN ACR MLG DEP PROC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM ATL TO THE NE. FO FLYING. I (CAPT) EXPERIENCED A STUCK MIKE. I TOOK OVER FLYING DUTIES AND FO ASSUMED COM DUTY. HAD NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEP SINCE TKOF. APCHING OUR ASSIGNED ALT (10000 FT). FO SAW TFC TO OUR R AND SUGGESTED IMMEDIATE CLB OR DSCNT BECAUSE HE SAW THE TFC AS A THREAT (LOOKED TO BE AT OUR ALT) AND WE WERE NOT IN COM WITH ATC. I CLBED. AT 10600 FT, I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW A TCASII GREEN ARC FOR A DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSCNT BACK TO 10000 FT AS WE TURNED TO THE N FOR FURTHER AVOIDANCE. NEITHER OF US EVER HEAD A TCASII ADVISORY. ABOUT THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO RE- ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC. IN MY OPINION, IF WE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO USE THE HAND MIKES, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE UNPLUGGED THE HAND MIKE.

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.