Narrative:

I knocked the headset plug going into the phone jack opening on panel and broke the wire. Because of this I was unable to listen to the radio over my headsets. The radio volume on the speaker was not loud enough for me to hear any communications. I had been told to turn to 060 degrees and maintain 1600 ft MSL expecting 5000 ft in 10 min. On that heading and at 1600 ft MSL I started switching knobs and buttons to see what I could do. It seemed as though it was useless, so I changed my squawk code to 7600 and started reviewing my options in my head. I kept trying different switches and finally could faintly hear when I turned both radios to the same frequency and turned the transmission selector to communication 2. I heard approach and advised them if they spoke loudly I could hear them. They then advised me to climb to 5000 ft and return to my original squawk. What was going through my head was exactly what to do. The regulations say that in VMC to land as soon as practical, but does this mean I can fly all the way from tpa to orl and land there without a radio. My problem was that I fly cargo and the cargo has to get there, plus it was night and most of the uncontrolled fields would be deserted, maybe not even having an accessible phone. Could I fly to drl and just expect light gun signals. This was going through my head when I got the radio to work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT OF SMA SEL LOST COMS WITH DEP CTL AFTER THE EAR PHONE PLUG WIRE WAS ACCIDENTALLY BROKEN.

Narrative: I KNOCKED THE HEADSET PLUG GOING INTO THE PHONE JACK OPENING ON PANEL AND BROKE THE WIRE. BECAUSE OF THIS I WAS UNABLE TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO OVER MY HEADSETS. THE RADIO VOLUME ON THE SPEAKER WAS NOT LOUD ENOUGH FOR ME TO HEAR ANY COMS. I HAD BEEN TOLD TO TURN TO 060 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 1600 FT MSL EXPECTING 5000 FT IN 10 MIN. ON THAT HDG AND AT 1600 FT MSL I STARTED SWITCHING KNOBS AND BUTTONS TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS USELESS, SO I CHANGED MY SQUAWK CODE TO 7600 AND STARTED REVIEWING MY OPTIONS IN MY HEAD. I KEPT TRYING DIFFERENT SWITCHES AND FINALLY COULD FAINTLY HEAR WHEN I TURNED BOTH RADIOS TO THE SAME FREQ AND TURNED THE XMISSION SELECTOR TO COM 2. I HEARD APCH AND ADVISED THEM IF THEY SPOKE LOUDLY I COULD HEAR THEM. THEY THEN ADVISED ME TO CLB TO 5000 FT AND RETURN TO MY ORIGINAL SQUAWK. WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD WAS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. THE REGS SAY THAT IN VMC TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL, BUT DOES THIS MEAN I CAN FLY ALL THE WAY FROM TPA TO ORL AND LAND THERE WITHOUT A RADIO. MY PROB WAS THAT I FLY CARGO AND THE CARGO HAS TO GET THERE, PLUS IT WAS NIGHT AND MOST OF THE UNCTLED FIELDS WOULD BE DESERTED, MAYBE NOT EVEN HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE PHONE. COULD I FLY TO DRL AND JUST EXPECT LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. THIS WAS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD WHEN I GOT THE RADIO TO WORK.

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.