Loss of communication frequency.

Attributes
ACN	207769
Time
Date	199204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4475 flight time type : 1075
ASRS Report	207769
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Offside tuning radio panels can be a problem. Many new aircraft use a radio tuning panel where you first select one of several radios, then dial in frequencys for that particular radio on a single readout. It is very easy to set a new frequency in the wrong radio. Here's what happened to us on descent into dca on an air carrier flight. I was acting as PIC and the PF an medium large transport glass cockpit aircraft. We were descending down to FL210 after a handoff to ZDC. The first officer selected radio #2 to get the ATIS and call air carrier operations. He did not notice the radio tuning panel was still on radio #1, meaning, we lost the ZDC frequency. It took us about 5-10 mins to re- establish contact with ZDC. This was during a time when we were entering the normal east coast high density, hurry up and get down traffic flow. As far as we know, this error did not cause any traffic problems, but the potential was there. I've used the new and old style radios, and I've seen this offside tuning problem before with the new tuning panels. I'm a proponent of progress and cockpit automation, but I believe new aircraft should have 1 tuning panel per radio! It's safer!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF COM FREQ.

Narrative: OFFSIDE TUNING RADIO PANELS CAN BE A PROBLEM. MANY NEW ACFT USE A RADIO TUNING PANEL WHERE YOU FIRST SELECT ONE OF SEVERAL RADIOS, THEN DIAL IN FREQS FOR THAT PARTICULAR RADIO ON A SINGLE READOUT. IT IS VERY EASY TO SET A NEW FREQ IN THE WRONG RADIO. HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED TO US ON DSCNT INTO DCA ON AN ACR FLT. I WAS ACTING AS PIC AND THE PF AN MLG GLASS COCKPIT ACFT. WE WERE DSNDING DOWN TO FL210 AFTER A HDOF TO ZDC. THE FO SELECTED RADIO #2 TO GET THE ATIS AND CALL ACR OPS. HE DID NOT NOTICE THE RADIO TUNING PANEL WAS STILL ON RADIO #1, MEANING, WE LOST THE ZDC FREQ. IT TOOK US ABOUT 5-10 MINS TO RE- ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ZDC. THIS WAS DURING A TIME WHEN WE WERE ENTERING THE NORMAL E COAST HIGH DENSITY, HURRY UP AND GET DOWN TFC FLOW. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS ERROR DID NOT CAUSE ANY TFC PROBLEMS, BUT THE POTENTIAL WAS THERE. I'VE USED THE NEW AND OLD STYLE RADIOS, AND I'VE SEEN THIS OFFSIDE TUNING PROBLEM BEFORE WITH THE NEW TUNING PANELS. I'M A PROPONENT OF PROGRESS AND COCKPIT AUTOMATION, BUT I BELIEVE NEW ACFT SHOULD HAVE 1 TUNING PANEL PER RADIO! IT'S SAFER!

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.