B727 aircraft on approach was unable to communicate with approach controller or tower due to bad #1 and #2 radios. Go around was executed and captain disconnected his microphone cord which cleared up the radio problem.

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Attributes
ACN	368890
Time
Date	199705
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	368890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	368889
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Twice during flight we experienced long periods of silence when using #2 VHF radio. When contact re-established ATC informed us that it appeared we had a stuck microphone. All microphone buttons checked normal. We suspected a bad #2 radio transmitter so we started using #1 radio. Operations normal until turning base leg on ILS to runway 22R at ord. With captain transmitting on #1 radio we started receiving only static. Same on #2 radio. Made turn inbound on localizer in IMC conditions. Maintained altitude until we heard approach clear us for visual if field in sight. Unable to contact tower due to static. First officer was trying contact on #2 radio and so was trying on #1 radio with no luck. Broke out of overcast too high/close for safe landing and executed miss. Finally contacted tower and switched approach. Captain disconnected his microphone cord from console and communications became normal. Uneventful approach ldng. Maintenance suspects bad mini amp in captain microphone causing open circuit. Called approach control upon arrival to explain what happened to supervisor. We were told that at no time did any traffic conflict exist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 ACFT ON APCH WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH APCH CTLR OR TWR DUE TO BAD #1 AND #2 RADIOS. GAR WAS EXECUTED AND CAPT DISCONNECTED HIS MIKE CORD WHICH CLRED UP THE RADIO PROB.

Narrative: TWICE DURING FLT WE EXPERIENCED LONG PERIODS OF SILENCE WHEN USING #2 VHF RADIO. WHEN CONTACT RE-ESTABLISHED ATC INFORMED US THAT IT APPEARED WE HAD A STUCK MIKE. ALL MIKE BUTTONS CHKED NORMAL. WE SUSPECTED A BAD #2 RADIO XMITTER SO WE STARTED USING #1 RADIO. OPS NORMAL UNTIL TURNING BASE LEG ON ILS TO RWY 22R AT ORD. WITH CAPT XMITTING ON #1 RADIO WE STARTED RECEIVING ONLY STATIC. SAME ON #2 RADIO. MADE TURN INBOUND ON LOC IN IMC CONDITIONS. MAINTAINED ALT UNTIL WE HEARD APCH CLR US FOR VISUAL IF FIELD IN SIGHT. UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR DUE TO STATIC. FO WAS TRYING CONTACT ON #2 RADIO AND SO WAS TRYING ON #1 RADIO WITH NO LUCK. BROKE OUT OF OVCST TOO HIGH/CLOSE FOR SAFE LNDG AND EXECUTED MISS. FINALLY CONTACTED TWR AND SWITCHED APCH. CAPT DISCONNECTED HIS MIKE CORD FROM CONSOLE AND COMS BECAME NORMAL. UNEVENTFUL APCH LDNG. MAINT SUSPECTS BAD MINI AMP IN CAPT MIKE CAUSING OPEN CIRCUIT. CALLED APCH CTL UPON ARR TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO SUPVR. WE WERE TOLD THAT AT NO TIME DID ANY TFC CONFLICT EXIST.

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.