Air taxi on departure does not receive handoff to center. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	161747
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : int
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gso
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15600 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	161747
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Received IFR clearance from int tower departing runway 21 heading 260 degrees, maintain 2500'. Changed over to gso departure. Very busy with traffic and harassment of controller by airline flight test flight changing what he wanted to do, and by an small transport wanting a visibility approach. Controller handled it all very well but was extremely busy. After some time at 2500', received clearance to 7000' (had requested 8000' as final on flight plan). (When not flying an aircraft with altitude alert installed, I write clearance and altitudes on paper, crossing off last altitude.) leveling at 7000', controller advised I was issued clearance to 6000'. He was so busy I did not argue, but advised was descending to 6000'. I was about 55 mi west of gso by this time and radio reception was a problem. After flying another 20-30 mi and not receiving a change over to ZTL, I made at least 3 calls to gso departure with no answer. I was almost ready to change to ZTL on my own when I faintly heard gso telling me to change to atl. The controller had evidently forgotten me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI ON DEP DOES NOT RECEIVE HANDOFF TO CENTER. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: RECEIVED IFR CLRNC FROM INT TWR DEPARTING RWY 21 HDG 260 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2500'. CHANGED OVER TO GSO DEP. VERY BUSY WITH TFC AND HARASSMENT OF CTLR BY AIRLINE FLT TEST FLT CHANGING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO, AND BY AN SMT WANTING A VIS APCH. CTLR HANDLED IT ALL VERY WELL BUT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. AFTER SOME TIME AT 2500', RECEIVED CLRNC TO 7000' (HAD REQUESTED 8000' AS FINAL ON FLT PLAN). (WHEN NOT FLYING AN ACFT WITH ALT ALERT INSTALLED, I WRITE CLRNC AND ALTS ON PAPER, XING OFF LAST ALT.) LEVELING AT 7000', CTLR ADVISED I WAS ISSUED CLRNC TO 6000'. HE WAS SO BUSY I DID NOT ARGUE, BUT ADVISED WAS DSNDING TO 6000'. I WAS ABOUT 55 MI W OF GSO BY THIS TIME AND RADIO RECEPTION WAS A PROB. AFTER FLYING ANOTHER 20-30 MI AND NOT RECEIVING A CHANGE OVER TO ZTL, I MADE AT LEAST 3 CALLS TO GSO DEP WITH NO ANSWER. I WAS ALMOST READY TO CHANGE TO ZTL ON MY OWN WHEN I FAINTLY HEARD GSO TELLING ME TO CHANGE TO ATL. THE CTLR HAD EVIDENTLY FORGOTTEN ME.

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.