Large transport loses contact with ATC because frequency was not changed.

Attributes
ACN	164058
Time
Date	199011
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	164058
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying scheduled flight from tpn to bwi we had been cleared off arwy while so of rdu to maintain heading until receiving ric then proceed directly by jax center. After we had picked up ric VOR and were proceeding direct I realized we hadn't heard from ATC in a while. We were now 60 south of ric VOR. We initiated a call but received no answer we obtained a frequency off the arwy chart and called dca center on 132.02. This controller switched us to 127.75, dca center and we were back where we were supposed to be. Dca center had been trying to contact us through the company but we had received no selcals. After some vectoring we were reestablished en route to bwi. It is our feeling that after we were cleared off arwy the controller, (jax) let us just roam out of his range. To guard against this happening in future the center frequencys should be more prominently displayed on arwy charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT LOSES CONTACT WITH ATC BECAUSE FREQ WAS NOT CHANGED.

Narrative: FLYING SCHEDULED FLT FROM TPN TO BWI WE HAD BEEN CLRED OFF ARWY WHILE SO OF RDU TO MAINTAIN HDG UNTIL RECEIVING RIC THEN PROCEED DIRECTLY BY JAX CTR. AFTER WE HAD PICKED UP RIC VOR AND WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT I REALIZED WE HADN'T HEARD FROM ATC IN A WHILE. WE WERE NOW 60 S OF RIC VOR. WE INITIATED A CALL BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER WE OBTAINED A FREQ OFF THE ARWY CHART AND CALLED DCA CTR ON 132.02. THIS CTLR SWITCHED US TO 127.75, DCA CTR AND WE WERE BACK WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. DCA CTR HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US THROUGH THE COMPANY BUT WE HAD RECEIVED NO SELCALS. AFTER SOME VECTORING WE WERE REESTABLISHED ENRTE TO BWI. IT IS OUR FEELING THAT AFTER WE WERE CLRED OFF ARWY THE CTLR, (JAX) LET US JUST ROAM OUT OF HIS RANGE. TO GUARD AGAINST THIS HAPPENING IN FUTURE THE CTR FREQS SHOULD BE MORE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON ARWY CHARTS.

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.