Narrative:

Flying 10-15 mi northwest of lny VORTAC (on airways, IFR) the center controller went lost comm. That is, all aircraft on frequency were receiving no reply from center. We continued with our cleared route, tried to contact approach north the #2 comm (it was the normal place to get a handoff) and were no joy on that frequency. Then center came up on their frequency and gave us a handoff (to approach). We tried the ogg approach frequency and the alternate frequency. Had no luck. Since we'd had problems with both center frequency and the approach frequency (these facs are co-located in the same building, considered possible power failure) and because the ogg tower has a radar display, I elected to switch to tower. After a little initial confusion, ogg tower cleared us for a visual approach (field was in sight). We were still monitoring the maui approach frequency in case the controller called us. Instead, another aircraft called us and said, 'center's trying to get you.' we returned to center on the 2ND radio and told them we were in communication with tower. They cleared us for a visual approach and told us to switch to tower. Fortunately, all this (or most of it) took place in VFR conditions, but it is interesting to imagine what would happen IFR. Lost communication is normally just one aircraft. With center out for a bit, and then approach out for about 5 mins, many aircraft were affected -- all having to execute some kind of lost communication procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CENTER ALLEGEDLY WENT OFF THE AIR FOR SOME MINUTES.

Narrative: FLYING 10-15 MI NW OF LNY VORTAC (ON AIRWAYS, IFR) THE CENTER CTLR WENT LOST COMM. THAT IS, ALL ACFT ON FREQ WERE RECEIVING NO REPLY FROM CENTER. WE CONTINUED WITH OUR CLRED ROUTE, TRIED TO CONTACT APCH N THE #2 COMM (IT WAS THE NORMAL PLACE TO GET A HANDOFF) AND WERE NO JOY ON THAT FREQ. THEN CENTER CAME UP ON THEIR FREQ AND GAVE US A HANDOFF (TO APCH). WE TRIED THE OGG APCH FREQ AND THE ALTERNATE FREQ. HAD NO LUCK. SINCE WE'D HAD PROBLEMS WITH BOTH CENTER FREQ AND THE APCH FREQ (THESE FACS ARE CO-LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING, CONSIDERED POSSIBLE POWER FAILURE) AND BECAUSE THE OGG TWR HAS A RADAR DISPLAY, I ELECTED TO SWITCH TO TWR. AFTER A LITTLE INITIAL CONFUSION, OGG TWR CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH (FIELD WAS IN SIGHT). WE WERE STILL MONITORING THE MAUI APCH FREQ IN CASE THE CTLR CALLED US. INSTEAD, ANOTHER ACFT CALLED US AND SAID, 'CENTER'S TRYING TO GET YOU.' WE RETURNED TO CENTER ON THE 2ND RADIO AND TOLD THEM WE WERE IN COM WITH TWR. THEY CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD US TO SWITCH TO TWR. FORTUNATELY, ALL THIS (OR MOST OF IT) TOOK PLACE IN VFR CONDITIONS, BUT IT IS INTERESTING TO IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IFR. LOST COM IS NORMALLY JUST ONE ACFT. WITH CENTER OUT FOR A BIT, AND THEN APCH OUT FOR ABOUT 5 MINS, MANY ACFT WERE AFFECTED -- ALL HAVING TO EXECUTE SOME KIND OF LOST COM PROC.

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.