An air carrier medium large transport lost communication with ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	240315
Time
Date	199304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : det
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	240315
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ARTCC cleared our flight to cross the arrival fix. Subsequently, a revised clearance of a vector and change in altitude was given by ARTCC. Meanwhile, the first officer 'toggled' off ATC to receive the ATIS. When he returned to monitor both radios, he inadvertently changed the ATC radio back to the 'old' frequency. Several moments of silence elapsed before the captain realized the error. ATC had called several times to issue us a new clearance. The captain had caught the error earlier in the day, but did not quickly catch it this time. The company used radio #1 (captain's) for company/ATIS communications and radio #2 (first officer's) for ATC for over 20 yrs. Recently, this procedure was reversed. The change, coupled with flight crew habits, caused the first officer to change the dual head frequency on the wrong radio. Instead of changing the ATIS frequency back to company, he changed the current ARTCC frequency back to an old one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG LOST COM WITH ARTCC.

Narrative: ARTCC CLRED OUR FLT TO CROSS THE ARR FIX. SUBSEQUENTLY, A REVISED CLRNC OF A VECTOR AND CHANGE IN ALT WAS GIVEN BY ARTCC. MEANWHILE, THE FO 'TOGGLED' OFF ATC TO RECEIVE THE ATIS. WHEN HE RETURNED TO MONITOR BOTH RADIOS, HE INADVERTENTLY CHANGED THE ATC RADIO BACK TO THE 'OLD' FREQ. SEVERAL MOMENTS OF SILENCE ELAPSED BEFORE THE CAPT REALIZED THE ERROR. ATC HAD CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO ISSUE US A NEW CLRNC. THE CAPT HAD CAUGHT THE ERROR EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT DID NOT QUICKLY CATCH IT THIS TIME. THE COMPANY USED RADIO #1 (CAPT'S) FOR COMPANY/ATIS COMS AND RADIO #2 (FO'S) FOR ATC FOR OVER 20 YRS. RECENTLY, THIS PROC WAS REVERSED. THE CHANGE, COUPLED WITH FLC HABITS, CAUSED THE FO TO CHANGE THE DUAL HEAD FREQ ON THE WRONG RADIO. INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE ATIS FREQ BACK TO COMPANY, HE CHANGED THE CURRENT ARTCC FREQ BACK TO AN OLD ONE.

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.