A320 crew lost communication with C90 approach control due to complex audio selector panel design.

Attributes
ACN	533884
Time
Date	200112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ord.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 39 agl bound upper : 5000 agl single value : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13558 flight time type : 3271
ASRS Report	533884
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the approach to runway 27L ord the #2 radio management panel went blank. As a backup, I asked the copilot to set up the tower frequency on the #3 rmp. On the A320, any rmp can tune any radio and unfortunately the first officer swapped tower frequency for the approach frequency on the #1 radio using the #3 rmp. Since you can't just toggle back to the previous frequency (as there was no set frequency on the #3 rmp and the one in the #1 rmp was a previous, previous frequency) we ended up unable to hear approach at precisely the time they would have been clearing us to join the localizer. After some quick juggling by the first officer we got back to the proper frequency after missing several of the controller's previous calls and managed to get clearance back to the localizer to complete the approach. Next time, we'll work with the operable rmp and leave the backup for use only if it also fails, to avoid any possible confusion about which rmp is tuning which radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW LOST COM WITH C90 APCH CTL DUE TO COMPLEX AUDIO SELECTOR PANEL DESIGN.

Narrative: DURING THE APCH TO RWY 27L ORD THE #2 RADIO MGMNT PANEL WENT BLANK. AS A BACKUP, I ASKED THE COPLT TO SET UP THE TWR FREQ ON THE #3 RMP. ON THE A320, ANY RMP CAN TUNE ANY RADIO AND UNFORTUNATELY THE FO SWAPPED TWR FREQ FOR THE APCH FREQ ON THE #1 RADIO USING THE #3 RMP. SINCE YOU CAN'T JUST TOGGLE BACK TO THE PREVIOUS FREQ (AS THERE WAS NO SET FREQ ON THE #3 RMP AND THE ONE IN THE #1 RMP WAS A PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS FREQ) WE ENDED UP UNABLE TO HEAR APCH AT PRECISELY THE TIME THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CLRING US TO JOIN THE LOC. AFTER SOME QUICK JUGGLING BY THE FO WE GOT BACK TO THE PROPER FREQ AFTER MISSING SEVERAL OF THE CTLR'S PREVIOUS CALLS AND MANAGED TO GET CLRNC BACK TO THE LOC TO COMPLETE THE APCH. NEXT TIME, WE'LL WORK WITH THE OPERABLE RMP AND LEAVE THE BACKUP FOR USE ONLY IF IT ALSO FAILS, TO AVOID ANY POSSIBLE CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH RMP IS TUNING WHICH RADIO.

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.