Air carrier large transport had communication problem with ZDC southwest of dca.

Attributes
ACN	183203
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 21800 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	183203
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Washington center apparently was trying to call us, but we did not hear them. Finally we heard their call as they also asked us to squawk identify. This told me, plus a frustrated tone of voice, that they had been trying for some time. I don't know what is going on in this area but a similar incident, not us, but a week or so earlier resulted in a near miss because center was unable to contact aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter could not remember the exact area except to say it was southwest of dca. He was wearing a noise suppressing head set and does not think there was anything wrong with the aircraft radio equipment. The other incident referred to was reported to ASRS and was found to be an operational error and not an equipment malfunction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT HAD COM PROBLEM WITH ZDC SW OF DCA.

Narrative: WASHINGTON CTR APPARENTLY WAS TRYING TO CALL US, BUT WE DID NOT HEAR THEM. FINALLY WE HEARD THEIR CALL AS THEY ALSO ASKED US TO SQUAWK IDENT. THIS TOLD ME, PLUS A FRUSTRATED TONE OF VOICE, THAT THEY HAD BEEN TRYING FOR SOME TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS AREA BUT A SIMILAR INCIDENT, NOT US, BUT A WEEK OR SO EARLIER RESULTED IN A NEAR MISS BECAUSE CTR WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR COULD NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT AREA EXCEPT TO SAY IT WAS SW OF DCA. HE WAS WEARING A NOISE SUPPRESSING HEAD SET AND DOES NOT THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ACFT RADIO EQUIP. THE OTHER INCIDENT REFERRED TO WAS RPTED TO ASRS AND WAS FOUND TO BE AN OPERROR AND NOT AN EQUIP MALFUNCTION.

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.