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MD80 flight crew goes NORAC traffic when light chop vibrates the volume control on the captain's communication panel to the off position. Flight crew missed 2 mins worth of possible ATC calls. First officer was off frequency receiving ATIS.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 370916 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bdf |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 370916 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
ZAU, west of bdf. The communication panel on MD83 aircraft does not allow for proper adjustment of VHF volume. The volume is either off or too loud for use with earpiece. In addition, with volume in 'minimum volume' ie, too loud, the volume lever can be 'vibrated' to the off position by light chop. This is exactly what happened on the aforementioned frequency while the first officer was off getting ATIS. ATC was calling for no more than 2 mins but because of volume lever having been shaken down I missed the calls. This phenomenon has occurred once before in 5 yrs on aircraft. Volume lever was not manually adjusted from time ATC xmissions were clearly heard to time nothing could be heard. There were no distrs in cockpit. These panels have always been a nuisance and now it seems they are also a hazard. Note: the only panels this occurs with are the MD83 boom mandatory aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 FLC GOES NORAC TFC WHEN LIGHT CHOP VIBRATES THE VOLUME CTL ON THE CAPT'S COM PANEL TO THE OFF POS. FLC MISSED 2 MINS WORTH OF POSSIBLE ATC CALLS. FO WAS OFF FREQ RECEIVING ATIS.
Narrative: ZAU, W OF BDF. THE COM PANEL ON MD83 ACFT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF VHF VOLUME. THE VOLUME IS EITHER OFF OR TOO LOUD FOR USE WITH EARPIECE. IN ADDITION, WITH VOLUME IN 'MINIMUM VOLUME' IE, TOO LOUD, THE VOLUME LEVER CAN BE 'VIBRATED' TO THE OFF POS BY LIGHT CHOP. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED ON THE AFOREMENTIONED FREQ WHILE THE FO WAS OFF GETTING ATIS. ATC WAS CALLING FOR NO MORE THAN 2 MINS BUT BECAUSE OF VOLUME LEVER HAVING BEEN SHAKEN DOWN I MISSED THE CALLS. THIS PHENOMENON HAS OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE IN 5 YRS ON ACFT. VOLUME LEVER WAS NOT MANUALLY ADJUSTED FROM TIME ATC XMISSIONS WERE CLRLY HEARD TO TIME NOTHING COULD BE HEARD. THERE WERE NO DISTRS IN COCKPIT. THESE PANELS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A NUISANCE AND NOW IT SEEMS THEY ARE ALSO A HAZARD. NOTE: THE ONLY PANELS THIS OCCURS WITH ARE THE MD83 BOOM MANDATORY ACFT.
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.