Date: 201403
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: PIA.TRACON, IL
Light: Night
Aircraft: Large Transport
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
ATC / advisory: TRACON PIA
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Supervisor / CIC
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Second reporter function: Approach
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: While I was CIC for the controller on the approach position; we both noticed a quick squelch come through our headsets and all the shout lines and dial lines lit up.  We both switched them to the off position and thought nothing of it.  Then I remembered that a previous Controller who had left the facility a couple hours ago said they had something similar happen; but he didn't mention anything about losing shoutlines and the frequency in passing.  After mentioning it to the CPC on approach; he had an Air Carrier come off of BMI climbing to 10;000 on runway heading which was assigned before the loss of line communication.  The controller tried to talk to the aircraft; but he couldn't hear him.  I told him to try his standbys and nothing there as well.  At this point; the Air Carrier was climbing toward CMI airspace and we were trying to get a hold of them to make a point out with no avail.  BMI Tower tried to call us; but we were unable to talk to him either.  They monitor our frequencies and could tell something was up; so they called CMI and let them know about the aircraft and were able to coordinate with ZAU above ours and CMI airspace.  CMI had even tried to contact us via the shout line; but again; when we would punch in; nothing was coming out from our end.  I called upstairs to the building CIC and let him know the situation and two other controllers came in from being on break and helped us out.  Essentially; all shout lines and BMI frequency were only able to receive; we had no transmitting capability.  We all coordinated with the adjacent/higher sectors and told them to put aircraft on our other frequency; and that all coordination would need to be done via the landline until further advised.  MOCC; Tech Ops; and Chicago Center were subsequently notified of the situation as well.  We had no other issues with any other aircraft as this aircraft was the only one who was a conflict. I have no recommendations; it was an isolated incident that I had never seen happen.


Second narrative: I WAS WORKING AT NAP WHEN BMI TOWER CALLED FOR A RELEASE ON AN AIR CARRIER DEPARTING RY 20 WITH A FIRST FIX OF AXC. I RELEASED THE AIRCRAFT RUNWAY HEADING AND 100. AFTER SPEAKING WITH BMI TOWER ON THE SHOUT LINE AND BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SWITCHED TO DEPARTURE; I HEARD A SQUELCH ON MY FREQUENCIES AND I NOTICED ALL OF MY SHOUT LINES LIT UP AS IF I WERE SPEAKING WITH THEM. I DESELECTED ALL SHOUT LINES AND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TRIED TO CONTACT ME THEY COULD NOT HEAR MY TRANSMISSIONS BUT I COULD HEAR THEIRS. AFTER TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF THE AIRCRAFT USING STANDBY FREQUENCIES AND EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME. MYSELF AND THE CIC TRIED TO CONTACT BMI TOWER ON THE SHOUT LINE BUT THAT WAS NOT WORKING EITHER. WE ALSO TRIED CMI APPROACH ON OUR SHOUT LINES TO POINT THE CARRIER OUT BUT THAT WAS NOT WORKING. OTHER CONTROLLERS CAME TO ASSIST AND USING THE LAND LINES WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF POINTING THE AIRCRAFT OUT TO CMI APPROACH; AS WELL AS TO COORDINATE A TRANSITION PERIOD OF USING OTHER FREQUENCIES THAT WERE WORKING BY CALLING ADJACENT FACILITIES. I HAVE NO RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. THIS WAS AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE THAT I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF


Synopsis: Frequency loss on all radios and facility land lines created a situation where the controllers could not communicate with an airborne aircraft or other ATC Facilities.