First officer of new type widebody transport aircraft inadvertently switched himself off ARTCC frequ...

Attributes
ACN	194278
Time
Date	199111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	194278
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer inadvertently left ATC center frequency for 1-2 mins. When the error was discovered he quickly reestablished contact on the assigned frequency. The center controller said he had attempted contact with us a couple of times. No known conflicts resulted. No further comments from the center controller. The aircraft has a complex and confusing radio management panel which lends itself to these inadvertent errors. It is a very poor design and will continue to cause these potentially dangerous events.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF NEW TYPE WDB ACFT INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED HIMSELF OFF ARTCC FREQ.

Narrative: FO INADVERTENTLY LEFT ATC CENTER FREQ FOR 1-2 MINS. WHEN THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED HE QUICKLY REESTABLISHED CONTACT ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. THE CENTER CTLR SAID HE HAD ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH US A COUPLE OF TIMES. NO KNOWN CONFLICTS RESULTED. NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE CENTER CTLR. THE ACFT HAS A COMPLEX AND CONFUSING RADIO MGMNT PANEL WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO THESE INADVERTENT ERRORS. IT IS A VERY POOR DESIGN AND WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE THESE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EVENTS.

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.

First officer of new type widebody transport aircraft inadvertently switched himself off ARTCC frequency.