The pilot experienced a brief period of lost communications because of headset connection.

Attributes
ACN	292347
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2650 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	292347
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While inbound to eyw airport from the southeast I called key west tower and told them that I was just south of navy keywest at 1000 ft inbound for landing. The tower controller said to continue inbound and report a left base for runway 27 at keywest international. I then replied 'roger we will report left base for runway 27.' he then replied 'roger, be advised there is an ATR 42 inbound from the north that will be following me in.' I then said roger. I then proceeded to complete my prelndg checklist. After finishing the prelndg checks I noticed that the radio had been quiet but I had not paid that much attention to the silence. As I proceeded to enter the left base for runway 27, approximately 1 mi from the airport, I told tower that I was on a 1 mi left base for runway 27, but got no reply. So I repeated that I was on left base for runway 27, but still no reply was received. I then checked my radio volume and channel selector to make sure everything was still on and it was. At this point I was almost ready to turn final when I saw a single engine cessna on a turn from base to final. I then said keywest tower how do you read? Still no reply. I then started to break off the approach when I heard the radio start to cut in and out. I then jiggled the headset connectors and I then heard tower say for me to do an immediate left 360 degree turn to the left. I said roger and made the turn. I made 2 360 degree turns which allowed the cessna in front of me to land and the ATR behind me to land, then I was cleared to land. After the tower cleared me to land the controller said that he had tried to contact me to tell me that there would be a cessna landing prior to my arrival. I explained to the controller that I could not hear him because of a short in my headset and that I was very sorry for the confusion. The controller said 'no problem -- that everyone has radio problems every now and then.' but I know that this whole thing could have been prevented if I had troubleshot the problem with the headset quicker. I think my reaction time was delayed because the WX was so nice and I assumed that I was the closest airplane to the airport. But I was wrong. I have definitely learned a very important lesson.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT EXPERIENCED A BRIEF PERIOD OF LOST COMS BECAUSE OF HEADSET CONNECTION.

Narrative: WHILE INBOUND TO EYW ARPT FROM THE SE I CALLED KEY WEST TWR AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS JUST S OF NAVY KEYWEST AT 1000 FT INBOUND FOR LNDG. THE TWR CTLR SAID TO CONTINUE INBOUND AND RPT A L BASE FOR RWY 27 AT KEYWEST INTL. I THEN REPLIED 'ROGER WE WILL RPT L BASE FOR RWY 27.' HE THEN REPLIED 'ROGER, BE ADVISED THERE IS AN ATR 42 INBOUND FROM THE N THAT WILL BE FOLLOWING ME IN.' I THEN SAID ROGER. I THEN PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE MY PRELNDG CHKLIST. AFTER FINISHING THE PRELNDG CHKS I NOTICED THAT THE RADIO HAD BEEN QUIET BUT I HAD NOT PAID THAT MUCH ATTN TO THE SILENCE. AS I PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE L BASE FOR RWY 27, APPROX 1 MI FROM THE ARPT, I TOLD TWR THAT I WAS ON A 1 MI L BASE FOR RWY 27, BUT GOT NO REPLY. SO I REPEATED THAT I WAS ON L BASE FOR RWY 27, BUT STILL NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED. I THEN CHKED MY RADIO VOLUME AND CHANNEL SELECTOR TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS STILL ON AND IT WAS. AT THIS POINT I WAS ALMOST READY TO TURN FINAL WHEN I SAW A SINGLE ENG CESSNA ON A TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. I THEN SAID KEYWEST TWR HOW DO YOU READ? STILL NO REPLY. I THEN STARTED TO BREAK OFF THE APCH WHEN I HEARD THE RADIO START TO CUT IN AND OUT. I THEN JIGGLED THE HEADSET CONNECTORS AND I THEN HEARD TWR SAY FOR ME TO DO AN IMMEDIATE L 360 DEG TURN TO THE L. I SAID ROGER AND MADE THE TURN. I MADE 2 360 DEG TURNS WHICH ALLOWED THE CESSNA IN FRONT OF ME TO LAND AND THE ATR BEHIND ME TO LAND, THEN I WAS CLRED TO LAND. AFTER THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND THE CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD TRIED TO CONTACT ME TO TELL ME THAT THERE WOULD BE A CESSNA LNDG PRIOR TO MY ARR. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR THAT I COULD NOT HEAR HIM BECAUSE OF A SHORT IN MY HEADSET AND THAT I WAS VERY SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. THE CTLR SAID 'NO PROB -- THAT EVERYONE HAS RADIO PROBS EVERY NOW AND THEN.' BUT I KNOW THAT THIS WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I HAD TROUBLESHOT THE PROB WITH THE HEADSET QUICKER. I THINK MY REACTION TIME WAS DELAYED BECAUSE THE WX WAS SO NICE AND I ASSUMED THAT I WAS THE CLOSEST AIRPLANE TO THE ARPT. BUT I WAS WRONG. I HAVE DEFINITELY LEARNED A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON.

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.