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Pilot of an small aircraft sel lost radio communication with ATC for advisory service due to inadvertently turning off the audio switch for the communication radios.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 328900 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199602 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : aml airport : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1774 flight time type : 570 |
| ASRS Report | 328900 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I departed iad toward W66 at XA10 pm. I was at 2500 ft under control of iad approach inside iad class B airspace. (After 15 DME I was no longer in class B, but under the outer ring.) shortly before 20 DME from aml I noted a bizjet pass directly overhead from 2 O'clock at about 500 ft above. At about 20 DME from aml VOR I tried to request frequency change from iad approach, as I was outside class B, and wanted to contact W66 traffic advisory frequency. I couldn't raise iad approach. I tried the other radio, and realized neither was 'working.' both were silent. Using my flashlight on the audio panel I discovered I had inadvertently switched the 'automatic' switch to the neutral position, so that I could hear nothing on speaker or phones. Switching it to phone, immediately the iad approach frequency became alive again. Before I could call to request frequency change, iad approach called me, asked if I had heard previous xmissions. I answered 'no' and volunteered that I had set a switch wrong. He said he had tried to call several times including to call out the 'traffic' I 'had flown through.' he didn't know if it was the bizjet I had seen because the traffic was squawking VFR. My mistakes were believing that the 'quiet' approach control frequency was normal, and not using the flashlight earlier. (The audio panel is unlighted.) from now on in that aircraft I will use the flashlight whenever I use the audio panel at night or if the radios go quiet at night.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL LOST RADIO COM WITH ATC FOR ADVISORY SVC DUE TO INADVERTENTLY TURNING OFF THE AUDIO SWITCH FOR THE COM RADIOS.
Narrative: I DEPARTED IAD TOWARD W66 AT XA10 PM. I WAS AT 2500 FT UNDER CTL OF IAD APCH INSIDE IAD CLASS B AIRSPACE. (AFTER 15 DME I WAS NO LONGER IN CLASS B, BUT UNDER THE OUTER RING.) SHORTLY BEFORE 20 DME FROM AML I NOTED A BIZJET PASS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD FROM 2 O'CLOCK AT ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE. AT ABOUT 20 DME FROM AML VOR I TRIED TO REQUEST FREQ CHANGE FROM IAD APCH, AS I WAS OUTSIDE CLASS B, AND WANTED TO CONTACT W66 TFC ADVISORY FREQ. I COULDN'T RAISE IAD APCH. I TRIED THE OTHER RADIO, AND REALIZED NEITHER WAS 'WORKING.' BOTH WERE SILENT. USING MY FLASHLIGHT ON THE AUDIO PANEL I DISCOVERED I HAD INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE 'AUTO' SWITCH TO THE NEUTRAL POS, SO THAT I COULD HEAR NOTHING ON SPEAKER OR PHONES. SWITCHING IT TO PHONE, IMMEDIATELY THE IAD APCH FREQ BECAME ALIVE AGAIN. BEFORE I COULD CALL TO REQUEST FREQ CHANGE, IAD APCH CALLED ME, ASKED IF I HAD HEARD PREVIOUS XMISSIONS. I ANSWERED 'NO' AND VOLUNTEERED THAT I HAD SET A SWITCH WRONG. HE SAID HE HAD TRIED TO CALL SEVERAL TIMES INCLUDING TO CALL OUT THE 'TFC' I 'HAD FLOWN THROUGH.' HE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE BIZJET I HAD SEEN BECAUSE THE TFC WAS SQUAWKING VFR. MY MISTAKES WERE BELIEVING THAT THE 'QUIET' APCH CTL FREQ WAS NORMAL, AND NOT USING THE FLASHLIGHT EARLIER. (THE AUDIO PANEL IS UNLIGHTED.) FROM NOW ON IN THAT ACFT I WILL USE THE FLASHLIGHT WHENEVER I USE THE AUDIO PANEL AT NIGHT OR IF THE RADIOS GO QUIET AT NIGHT.
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.