EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Aircraft
After placing Air Carrier X on a heading the aircraft read back the heading then failed to unkey their microphone. Initially the conversation contained what sounded like routine information; such as the aircraft's speed; between the pilots. However; the conversation became inappropriate regarding required cockpit conversation. I attempted to reach the aircraft on guard and inform them that their microphone was still hot keyed; shortly after another pilot attempted to inform the aircraft they were hot keyed. Numerous attempts failed to get the aircraft to unkey their microphone. At the time of the event the aircraft was on a vector to be number one to the aircraft; they were located approximately 5 to 6 miles southeast of the airport at 2;000 FT and being set up for a visual approach. At the same time another aircraft was inbound from the South; at the time being vectored to follow the Air Carrier Y aircraft. When Air Carrier X began to cross the Runway 33L localizer they finally unkeyed their microphone. At this time they were entering the departure corridor. I vectored the aircraft to the South to follow the following traffic and re-sequenced. The initial conversation between the pilots was regarding the speed of the aircraft and their proximity to the airport. They then began discussing Controller performance. Making these comments on an open microphone prevented me from being able to provide positive control to aircraft into BWI for approximately 45 seconds. Air Carrier X inability to maintain a sterile cockpit below 10;000 FT caused unnecessary risk to the NAS. The aircraft was in a high volume area where conflicts can be numerous. Had they not been maintaining the conversation they may have heard the numerous calls I attempted on guard.
PCT Controller described an unsafe condition when traffic being vectored to the final had a 'stuck' mike and failed to respond to numerous ATC instructions.