GA pilot making an ILS approach loses radio contact with ATC at 3000 ft. Claims that this is a commo...

Attributes
ACN	203270
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	203270
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Approach control cleared me for the ILS 23. After their initial call and clearance I tried 3 times to contact them with no answer and continued to monitor their frequency until after landing. I later learned that their communication is unreliable below 3000 ft and they were trying to call me, to give me their remote frequency to cancel IFR. The clearance authorized my descent to 2300 ft. If a controller is going to clear a flight below min reception altitude. Any special lost communication procedure should be communicated to the pilot prior to descent clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT MAKING AN ILS APCH LOSES RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AT 3000 FT. CLAIMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE.

Narrative: APCH CTL CLRED ME FOR THE ILS 23. AFTER THEIR INITIAL CALL AND CLRNC I TRIED 3 TIMES TO CONTACT THEM WITH NO ANSWER AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THEIR FREQ UNTIL AFTER LNDG. I LATER LEARNED THAT THEIR COM IS UNRELIABLE BELOW 3000 FT AND THEY WERE TRYING TO CALL ME, TO GIVE ME THEIR REMOTE FREQ TO CANCEL IFR. THE CLRNC AUTHORIZED MY DSCNT TO 2300 FT. IF A CTLR IS GOING TO CLR A FLT BELOW MIN RECEPTION ALT. ANY SPECIAL LOST COM PROC SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO THE PLT PRIOR TO DSCNT CLRNC.

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.

GA pilot making an ILS approach loses radio contact with ATC at 3000 ft. Claims that this is a common occurrence.