Lost communication problem as handed off to next sector and unable to contact assigned frequency.

Attributes
ACN	237353
Time
Date	199303
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 2350 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	237353
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was level cruise, after checking on the frequency with bur approach on 135.05 was then passed on to the next controller. I then switched to what I though was the correct frequency but was not heard on that frequency. I finally switched back to the original controller frequency but, due to congested frequency, I switched to the tower frequency to get through, which I finally did. The tower controller then gave me a different frequency. I switched to that one and was given normal vectors for an ILS to the airport. Everything was uneventful except for a loss of communication for approximately 5 mins with the approach controling facility, not to mention this was a single-pilot IFR flight during which rain, turbulence, up/down drafts were encountered. However, at no time did my aircraft altitude vary by more than 100 ft. Airports in this area are very busy places and communication is very important to keep things flowing properly, and at the same time, always to first fly the aircraft, navigation, and communicate in that order. Maybe on subsequent flts, if this problem should come about, it might be a good idea to always leave one of the radios set to the last frequency to go back to when the frequency gets busy or when nobody seems to be working that frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST COM PROB AS HANDED OFF TO NEXT SECTOR AND UNABLE TO CONTACT ASSIGNED FREQ.

Narrative: I WAS LEVEL CRUISE, AFTER CHKING ON THE FREQ WITH BUR APCH ON 135.05 WAS THEN PASSED ON TO THE NEXT CTLR. I THEN SWITCHED TO WHAT I THOUGH WAS THE CORRECT FREQ BUT WAS NOT HEARD ON THAT FREQ. I FINALLY SWITCHED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CTLR FREQ BUT, DUE TO CONGESTED FREQ, I SWITCHED TO THE TWR FREQ TO GET THROUGH, WHICH I FINALLY DID. THE TWR CTLR THEN GAVE ME A DIFFERENT FREQ. I SWITCHED TO THAT ONE AND WAS GIVEN NORMAL VECTORS FOR AN ILS TO THE ARPT. EVERYTHING WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT FOR A LOSS OF COM FOR APPROX 5 MINS WITH THE APCH CTLING FACILITY, NOT TO MENTION THIS WAS A SINGLE-PLT IFR FLT DURING WHICH RAIN, TURB, UP/DOWN DRAFTS WERE ENCOUNTERED. HOWEVER, AT NO TIME DID MY ACFT ALT VARY BY MORE THAN 100 FT. ARPTS IN THIS AREA ARE VERY BUSY PLACES AND COM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THINGS FLOWING PROPERLY, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ALWAYS TO FIRST FLY THE ACFT, NAV, AND COMMUNICATE IN THAT ORDER. MAYBE ON SUBSEQUENT FLTS, IF THIS PROB SHOULD COME ABOUT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO ALWAYS LEAVE ONE OF THE RADIOS SET TO THE LAST FREQ TO GO BACK TO WHEN THE FREQ GETS BUSY OR WHEN NOBODY SEEMS TO BE WORKING THAT FREQ.

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.