Flight crew of a B727-225 realized after several mins of not hearing from ARTCC radar controller that they may have a radio communication problem. They subsequently re-established contact and found that they had a stuck microphone in the hot position which was broadcasting the crew's personal conversation on center frequency.

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Attributes
ACN	423702
Time
Date	199812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 154 flight time total : 13620 flight time type : 675
ASRS Report	423702
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were at FL290 on the rmg arrival into atl from mem. Received a frequency change from ZME to ZTL. We checked in with ZTL and were assigned a new heading off the STAR. After acknowledgement of the new heading, we returned to our cockpit conversation regarding health matters and when to call in sick from a trip. After a 7-8 min conversation, we realized we needed to start a descent. As I called center, we realized I had a hot microphone. I moved the radio select switch to the interphone position and we re-established communications with ZTL. After several apologies to ZTL and center's best wishes for the crew member not feeling well, the flight continued uneventfully. We found my microphone switch in the control yoke had failed. With today's technology, a jammed radio frequency by a hot microphone or broken microphone switch may easily be avoided by placing a transmission light or indicator on the instrument panel or on the radio control panel. I am a ham radio operator and all our radios have a transmitting indicator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727-225 REALIZED AFTER SEVERAL MINS OF NOT HEARING FROM ARTCC RADAR CTLR THAT THEY MAY HAVE A RADIO COM PROB. THEY SUBSEQUENTLY RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT AND FOUND THAT THEY HAD A STUCK MIKE IN THE HOT POS WHICH WAS BROADCASTING THE CREW'S PERSONAL CONVERSATION ON CTR FREQ.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL290 ON THE RMG ARR INTO ATL FROM MEM. RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE FROM ZME TO ZTL. WE CHKED IN WITH ZTL AND WERE ASSIGNED A NEW HDG OFF THE STAR. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NEW HDG, WE RETURNED TO OUR COCKPIT CONVERSATION REGARDING HEALTH MATTERS AND WHEN TO CALL IN SICK FROM A TRIP. AFTER A 7-8 MIN CONVERSATION, WE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO START A DSCNT. AS I CALLED CTR, WE REALIZED I HAD A HOT MIKE. I MOVED THE RADIO SELECT SWITCH TO THE INTERPHONE POS AND WE RE-ESTABLISHED COMS WITH ZTL. AFTER SEVERAL APOLOGIES TO ZTL AND CTR'S BEST WISHES FOR THE CREW MEMBER NOT FEELING WELL, THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. WE FOUND MY MIKE SWITCH IN THE CTL YOKE HAD FAILED. WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, A JAMMED RADIO FREQ BY A HOT MIKE OR BROKEN MIKE SWITCH MAY EASILY BE AVOIDED BY PLACING A XMISSION LIGHT OR INDICATOR ON THE INST PANEL OR ON THE RADIO CTL PANEL. I AM A HAM RADIO OPERATOR AND ALL OUR RADIOS HAVE A XMITTING INDICATOR.

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.