B727 flight crew turned down radio communication volume control by mistake. Loss of radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	320840
Time
Date	199511
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	320840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	320838
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While talking to approach the volume on the main radio was accidentally turned down for about 30 seconds. After not hearing any calls in the last 30 seconds, the first officer tried turning up the volume and noticed it was down. The copilot reestablished radio contact and received vectors to approach and landing. This type of B727 has only 1 volume to the radio, if that knob is accidentally turned down, all 3 crew members lose their volume. Supplemental information from acn 320838: after receiving a vector off the arrival inbound course, both pilots turned up the ILS frequency and listened to the identify. We then turned the NAVAID volume back down. The #1 communication radio volume control and #1 NAVAID volume control are in close proximity to each other, and may be mistaken for each other. Each pilot should have their own volume control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC TURNED DOWN RADIO COM VOLUME CTL BY MISTAKE. LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: WHILE TALKING TO APCH THE VOLUME ON THE MAIN RADIO WAS ACCIDENTALLY TURNED DOWN FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. AFTER NOT HEARING ANY CALLS IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS, THE FO TRIED TURNING UP THE VOLUME AND NOTICED IT WAS DOWN. THE COPLT REESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT AND RECEIVED VECTORS TO APCH AND LNDG. THIS TYPE OF B727 HAS ONLY 1 VOLUME TO THE RADIO, IF THAT KNOB IS ACCIDENTALLY TURNED DOWN, ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS LOSE THEIR VOLUME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 320838: AFTER RECEIVING A VECTOR OFF THE ARR INBOUND COURSE, BOTH PLTS TURNED UP THE ILS FREQ AND LISTENED TO THE IDENT. WE THEN TURNED THE NAVAID VOLUME BACK DOWN. THE #1 COM RADIO VOLUME CTL AND #1 NAVAID VOLUME CTL ARE IN CLOSE PROX TO EACH OTHER, AND MAY BE MISTAKEN FOR EACH OTHER. EACH PLT SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN VOLUME CTL.

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.