THE PLT EXPERIENCED A BRIEF PERIOD OF LOST COMS BECAUSE OF HEADSET CONNECTION.

Narrative

WHILE INBOUND TO EYW ARPT FROM THE SE I CALLED KEY WEST TWR AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS JUST S OF NAVY KEYWEST AT 1000 FT INBOUND FOR LNDG. THE TWR CTLR SAID TO CONTINUE INBOUND AND RPT A L BASE FOR RWY 27 AT KEYWEST INTL. I THEN REPLIED 'ROGER WE WILL RPT L BASE FOR RWY 27.' HE THEN REPLIED 'ROGER; BE ADVISED THERE IS AN ATR 42 INBOUND FROM THE N THAT WILL BE FOLLOWING ME IN.' I THEN SAID ROGER. I THEN PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE MY PRELNDG CHKLIST. AFTER FINISHING THE PRELNDG CHKS I NOTICED THAT THE RADIO HAD BEEN QUIET BUT I HAD NOT PAID THAT MUCH ATTN TO THE SILENCE. AS I PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE L BASE FOR RWY 27; APPROX 1 MI FROM THE ARPT; I TOLD TWR THAT I WAS ON A 1 MI L BASE FOR RWY 27; BUT GOT NO REPLY. SO I REPEATED THAT I WAS ON L BASE FOR RWY 27; BUT STILL NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED. I THEN CHKED MY RADIO VOLUME AND CHANNEL SELECTOR TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS STILL ON AND IT WAS. AT THIS POINT I WAS ALMOST READY TO TURN FINAL WHEN I SAW A SINGLE ENG CESSNA ON A TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. I THEN SAID KEYWEST TWR HOW DO YOU READ? STILL NO REPLY. I THEN STARTED TO BREAK OFF THE APCH WHEN I HEARD THE RADIO START TO CUT IN AND OUT. I THEN JIGGLED THE HEADSET CONNECTORS AND I THEN HEARD TWR SAY FOR ME TO DO AN IMMEDIATE L 360 DEG TURN TO THE L. I SAID ROGER AND MADE THE TURN. I MADE 2 360 DEG TURNS WHICH ALLOWED THE CESSNA IN FRONT OF ME TO LAND AND THE ATR BEHIND ME TO LAND; THEN I WAS CLRED TO LAND. AFTER THE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND THE CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD TRIED TO CONTACT ME TO TELL ME THAT THERE WOULD BE A CESSNA LNDG PRIOR TO MY ARR. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR THAT I COULD NOT HEAR HIM BECAUSE OF A SHORT IN MY HEADSET AND THAT I WAS VERY SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. THE CTLR SAID 'NO PROB -- THAT EVERYONE HAS RADIO PROBS EVERY NOW AND THEN.' BUT I KNOW THAT THIS WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I HAD TROUBLESHOT THE PROB WITH THE HEADSET QUICKER. I THINK MY REACTION TIME WAS DELAYED BECAUSE THE WX WAS SO NICE AND I ASSUMED THAT I WAS THE CLOSEST AIRPLANE TO THE ARPT. BUT I WAS WRONG. I HAVE DEFINITELY LEARNED A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON.