Narrative:

Nearing buj VOR at 7000 ft MSL while on a scheduled flight from eld, ar, to dfw, we lost communication with ZFW. Shortly after reaching buj where the center would normally switch us over to dfw approach control we transmitted 'in the blind' that we were switching to dfw approach control since we normally would have been switched at that point and we could not communicate with ZFW. Upon contacting dfw approach control on frequency 119.05 we were thanked by approach control for switching to their frequency. A few mins later we were told to call ZFW on the ground. Upon contacting ZFW on the landline we were asked why we did not descend to 6000 ft and 'identify' when instructed. I explained we had no communication with ZFW and that we would have followed those instructions if we had in any way heard them. Probable problem areas: 1) we have had difficulty communicating with ZFW on frequency 124.87 in the past near buj. 2) maybe all pilots should be informed to say 'transmitting in the blind' before switching frequencys due to lost communications. Apparently my transmitting to ZFW that we were switching frequencys without saying 'transmitting in the blind' made them think we could hear them. They then thought we did not follow their instructions! Solutions: 1) have the frequency 124.87 checked for continued availability at lower altitudes near buj since it has been a problem in the past. 2) consider making it known to pilots to state 'transmitting in the blind' when they are trying to communicate on lost communications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HAS LOST COM OVER NAVAID. LATER SWITCHES TO APCH FREQ.

Narrative: NEARING BUJ VOR AT 7000 FT MSL WHILE ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM ELD, AR, TO DFW, WE LOST COM WITH ZFW. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING BUJ WHERE THE CTR WOULD NORMALLY SWITCH US OVER TO DFW APCH CTL WE XMITTED 'IN THE BLIND' THAT WE WERE SWITCHING TO DFW APCH CTL SINCE WE NORMALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN SWITCHED AT THAT POINT AND WE COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ZFW. UPON CONTACTING DFW APCH CTL ON FREQ 119.05 WE WERE THANKED BY APCH CTL FOR SWITCHING TO THEIR FREQ. A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE TOLD TO CALL ZFW ON THE GND. UPON CONTACTING ZFW ON THE LANDLINE WE WERE ASKED WHY WE DID NOT DSND TO 6000 FT AND 'IDENT' WHEN INSTRUCTED. I EXPLAINED WE HAD NO COM WITH ZFW AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED THOSE INSTRUCTIONS IF WE HAD IN ANY WAY HEARD THEM. PROBABLE PROB AREAS: 1) WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH ZFW ON FREQ 124.87 IN THE PAST NEAR BUJ. 2) MAYBE ALL PLTS SHOULD BE INFORMED TO SAY 'XMITTING IN THE BLIND' BEFORE SWITCHING FREQS DUE TO LOST COMS. APPARENTLY MY XMITTING TO ZFW THAT WE WERE SWITCHING FREQS WITHOUT SAYING 'XMITTING IN THE BLIND' MADE THEM THINK WE COULD HEAR THEM. THEY THEN THOUGHT WE DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS! SOLUTIONS: 1) HAVE THE FREQ 124.87 CHKED FOR CONTINUED AVAILABILITY AT LOWER ALTS NEAR BUJ SINCE IT HAS BEEN A PROB IN THE PAST. 2) CONSIDER MAKING IT KNOWN TO PLTS TO STATE 'XMITTING IN THE BLIND' WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE ON LOST COMS.

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.