Narrative:

Prior to takeoff, no contact with tower on 121.0. Contacted ground 121.9 and was advised of a stuck microphone on 121.0 and to use 121.9 for takeoff. After takeoff, no contact with swf on 121.0 or 121.9 and no contact with departure on 132.75. Tried both radios, both mixer boxes and both mikes. Eventually regained communication (while squawking 7600 and flying published lost communication procedure) with swf tower by transmitting on radio #2 121.9 and receiving on radio #1 121.0. Returned to swf VOR runway 27 uneventful. 'Stuck microphone' was apparently internal to our radio rack. Repaired by maintenance. Radio #3 volume too weak to be useful and is not controllable from flight deck since it is primarily used by ACARS. Raised an interesting question. Departure airport IMC. Destination VMC and will probably encounter VMC en route. As an air carrier, would FAA really want us to fly entire route 'no radio' as filed? May not have enough fuel to stay VMC/VFR below 18000 ft with adequate reserves. Routing goes through ZNY and ZDC and terminates at a busy hub airport. Additionally, encountering VMC may not assure the ability to maintain VMC for the entire 400-600 mi flight. Is this procedure still valid in our current environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-30 LEFT SWF IN IMC, UNAWARE THEY HAD A STUCK MIKE. THIS RESULTED IN LOST COMS PROC AND A RETURN TO SWF BECAUSE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW LOST COM PROC.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TKOF, NO CONTACT WITH TWR ON 121.0. CONTACTED GND 121.9 AND WAS ADVISED OF A STUCK MIKE ON 121.0 AND TO USE 121.9 FOR TKOF. AFTER TKOF, NO CONTACT WITH SWF ON 121.0 OR 121.9 AND NO CONTACT WITH DEP ON 132.75. TRIED BOTH RADIOS, BOTH MIXER BOXES AND BOTH MIKES. EVENTUALLY REGAINED COM (WHILE SQUAWKING 7600 AND FLYING PUBLISHED LOST COM PROC) WITH SWF TWR BY XMITTING ON RADIO #2 121.9 AND RECEIVING ON RADIO #1 121.0. RETURNED TO SWF VOR RWY 27 UNEVENTFUL. 'STUCK MIKE' WAS APPARENTLY INTERNAL TO OUR RADIO RACK. REPAIRED BY MAINT. RADIO #3 VOLUME TOO WEAK TO BE USEFUL AND IS NOT CONTROLLABLE FROM FLT DECK SINCE IT IS PRIMARILY USED BY ACARS. RAISED AN INTERESTING QUESTION. DEP ARPT IMC. DEST VMC AND WILL PROBABLY ENCOUNTER VMC ENRTE. AS AN ACR, WOULD FAA REALLY WANT US TO FLY ENTIRE RTE 'NO RADIO' AS FILED? MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO STAY VMC/VFR BELOW 18000 FT WITH ADEQUATE RESERVES. ROUTING GOES THROUGH ZNY AND ZDC AND TERMINATES AT A BUSY HUB ARPT. ADDITIONALLY, ENCOUNTERING VMC MAY NOT ASSURE THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN VMC FOR THE ENTIRE 400-600 MI FLT. IS THIS PROC STILL VALID IN OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.

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.