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ATC communication problem. Flight crew handed off 5 times in 10 mins. Some frequencys incorrect. Possible ATC power outage caused problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 339185 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cxr |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob tracon : syr |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 339185 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Intra Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
We were at cruise altitude and handed off to 128.15 which had a bad bleed over from an ATIS frequency. We did check in, but decided to return to our previous frequency because 128.15 was unusable for us. We were then handed off approximately 5 different times in approximately 10 mins and when we got to 123.82, ZOB, they issued us a descent clearance from FL230 to FL200 then said we weren't in his airspace and again handed us off to 120.77. We thought this unusual and waited to descend until we spoke with the next frequency but that frequency 120.77 was apparently inoperative. When we returned to 123.82, still at FL230, another aircraft stated that he too couldn't contact anyone at 120.77. 123.82 said that he had never handed us off to that frequency and needed us to descend. We attempted to explain, but we were high and nearing the airport. So he issued us a 360 degree turn to descend to 10000 ft. We believe that we were never in contact with the correct person, and later found out that some power outages were causing additional confusion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC COM PROB. FLC HANDED OFF 5 TIMES IN 10 MINS. SOME FREQS INCORRECT. POSSIBLE ATC PWR OUTAGE CAUSED PROB.
Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE ALT AND HANDED OFF TO 128.15 WHICH HAD A BAD BLEED OVER FROM AN ATIS FREQ. WE DID CHK IN, BUT DECIDED TO RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUS FREQ BECAUSE 128.15 WAS UNUSABLE FOR US. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF APPROX 5 DIFFERENT TIMES IN APPROX 10 MINS AND WHEN WE GOT TO 123.82, ZOB, THEY ISSUED US A DSCNT CLRNC FROM FL230 TO FL200 THEN SAID WE WEREN'T IN HIS AIRSPACE AND AGAIN HANDED US OFF TO 120.77. WE THOUGHT THIS UNUSUAL AND WAITED TO DSND UNTIL WE SPOKE WITH THE NEXT FREQ BUT THAT FREQ 120.77 WAS APPARENTLY INOP. WHEN WE RETURNED TO 123.82, STILL AT FL230, ANOTHER ACFT STATED THAT HE TOO COULDN'T CONTACT ANYONE AT 120.77. 123.82 SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HANDED US OFF TO THAT FREQ AND NEEDED US TO DSND. WE ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN, BUT WE WERE HIGH AND NEARING THE ARPT. SO HE ISSUED US A 360 DEG TURN TO DSND TO 10000 FT. WE BELIEVE THAT WE WERE NEVER IN CONTACT WITH THE CORRECT PERSON, AND LATER FOUND OUT THAT SOME PWR OUTAGES WERE CAUSING ADDITIONAL CONFUSION.
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.