While flying a radar vector heading reporter flight temporarily lost communications.

Attributes
ACN	104523
Time
Date	198902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pom airport : emt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont tower : poc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v186
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	104523
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on IFR flight in VFR conditions, from vny to sna, a communications lapse occurred which required a turn from an assigned vector to return to the assigned route and avoid collision with mountains. Assigned route was from vny, glendale 4 departure, V186, V363, V8, seal beach, direct sna. After departure and established on V186, bur approach control handed us off to ont approach control. First attempt to contact ontario was not acknowledged. However, after ontario communications with 2 other aircraft, my second attempt to contact ont was acknowledged. A vector of 'turn left 030 degrees,' was given and read back. A turn to 030 degrees was made directing the aircraft toward the mountains. When no following directions were received, attempts to contact ont on 125.6 MHZ were made with acknowledgement. Brackett tower was subsequently contacted on 118.2 and advised and requested to contact ont. Brackett advised (relayed) a turn right to 180 degrees to intercept V363 and a request to attempt contact with ont again on 125.5 and to return to 118.2 if unsuccessful. While attempting contact on 125.5 another aircraft relayed to ont. A handoff was subsequently made to coast approach with no further difficulty. During the entire flight no communications difficulties were encountered except with ont on 125.5. Yet in the same area we were able to communication with bur approach, brackett tower, coast approach and the other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE FLYING A RADAR VECTOR HEADING REPORTER FLT TEMPORARILY LOST COMS.

Narrative: WHILE ON IFR FLT IN VFR CONDITIONS, FROM VNY TO SNA, A COMS LAPSE OCCURRED WHICH REQUIRED A TURN FROM AN ASSIGNED VECTOR TO RETURN TO THE ASSIGNED ROUTE AND AVOID COLLISION WITH MOUNTAINS. ASSIGNED ROUTE WAS FROM VNY, GLENDALE 4 DEP, V186, V363, V8, SEAL BEACH, DIRECT SNA. AFTER DEP AND ESTABLISHED ON V186, BUR APCH CTL HANDED US OFF TO ONT APCH CTL. FIRST ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ONTARIO WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED. HOWEVER, AFTER ONTARIO COMS WITH 2 OTHER ACFT, MY SECOND ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ONT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. A VECTOR OF 'TURN LEFT 030 DEGS,' WAS GIVEN AND READ BACK. A TURN TO 030 DEGS WAS MADE DIRECTING THE ACFT TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS. WHEN NO FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS WERE RECEIVED, ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ONT ON 125.6 MHZ WERE MADE WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. BRACKETT TWR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED ON 118.2 AND ADVISED AND REQUESTED TO CONTACT ONT. BRACKETT ADVISED (RELAYED) A TURN RIGHT TO 180 DEGS TO INTERCEPT V363 AND A REQUEST TO ATTEMPT CONTACT WITH ONT AGAIN ON 125.5 AND TO RETURN TO 118.2 IF UNSUCCESSFUL. WHILE ATTEMPTING CONTACT ON 125.5 ANOTHER ACFT RELAYED TO ONT. A HDOF WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE TO COAST APCH WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTY. DURING THE ENTIRE FLT NO COMS DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED EXCEPT WITH ONT ON 125.5. YET IN THE SAME AREA WE WERE ABLE TO COM WITH BUR APCH, BRACKETT TWR, COAST APCH AND THE OTHER ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.