Flight crew lost communication during descent and used TCASII equipment for traffic spacing.

Attributes
ACN	223279
Time
Date	199210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	223279
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 24000
ASRS Report	223756
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After receiving 'cross gruntz at/above 6000 ft, cleared approach,' we never received frequency change to tower. At 12 DME, we saw we were rapidly gaining on preceding aircraft. We quickly slowed/configured staying about 3-4 mi behind that aircraft. We switched over to tower advising that aircraft in sight. Tower authorized a circle to runway 28L. After landing, the captain telephoned approach control. They said they tried to contact us by radio on approach. We monitored their frequency throughout the approach, hearing other transmissions with other aircraft but never heard any calls to us. Problem was caused by approach controller's failure to monitor aircraft speed and spacing of arriving aircraft. Use of TCASII is especially helpful in maintaining see-and-avoid protection in terminal area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC LOST COM DURING DSCNT AND USED TCASII EQUIP FOR TFC SPACING.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING 'CROSS GRUNTZ AT/ABOVE 6000 FT, CLRED APCH,' WE NEVER RECEIVED FREQ CHANGE TO TWR. AT 12 DME, WE SAW WE WERE RAPIDLY GAINING ON PRECEDING ACFT. WE QUICKLY SLOWED/CONFIGURED STAYING ABOUT 3-4 MI BEHIND THAT ACFT. WE SWITCHED OVER TO TWR ADVISING THAT ACFT IN SIGHT. TWR AUTHORIZED A CIRCLE TO RWY 28L. AFTER LNDG, THE CAPT TELEPHONED APCH CTL. THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO CONTACT US BY RADIO ON APCH. WE MONITORED THEIR FREQ THROUGHOUT THE APCH, HEARING OTHER TRANSMISSIONS WITH OTHER ACFT BUT NEVER HEARD ANY CALLS TO US. PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY APCH CTLR'S FAILURE TO MONITOR ACFT SPD AND SPACING OF ARRIVING ACFT. USE OF TCASII IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN MAINTAINING SEE-AND-AVOID PROTECTION IN TERMINAL AREA.

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.