Narrative:

The flight was from dtw to eri. We departed normally and were handed off to dtw departure control. They said 'radar contact climb and maintain 11000 ft.' this is abnormal, we usually receive 5000 ft or 7000 ft until we get on with ZOB. During the climb we were handed off to ZOB. The first officer responded to dtw and dialed in the frequency. As the first officer was checking in, I was getting out some charts, my attention was not on what the first officer was doing. At 11000 ft I called for the cruise checklist. 11000 ft is a normal flight plan altitude for this route of flight. After the cruise check was completed, we started a conversation about the recently completed world series. After a bit, the flight attendant came up to check on us. I made a comment that the frequency was unusually quiet. I then checked the frequency on communication #1 and did not recognize it. I asked the first officer if he had gotten a response when he checked in and he said yes. The frequency in the communication was 132.65, the normal frequency for cleveland is 132.45. I tried to raise cle on 132.65, but no one answered. By this time we were about 50 mi from the eri VOR so I tried to raise eri approach. I did get hold of eri and he asked if we got hung up on a frequency. Later I looked at the flight plan and noticed that we were filed for 15000 ft. We use a computer system so the flight plan could be different each time. The first officer was an experienced pilot at the company and I was lulled into a false sense of security. I should have checked the flight plan and monitored the radio communications more closely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 FLC LEVELS AT WRONG ALT AND FAILS TO CONTACT CTR DUE TO WRONG FREQ SELECTED.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS FROM DTW TO ERI. WE DEPARTED NORMALLY AND WERE HANDED OFF TO DTW DEP CTL. THEY SAID 'RADAR CONTACT CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT.' THIS IS ABNORMAL, WE USUALLY RECEIVE 5000 FT OR 7000 FT UNTIL WE GET ON WITH ZOB. DURING THE CLB WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZOB. THE FO RESPONDED TO DTW AND DIALED IN THE FREQ. AS THE FO WAS CHKING IN, I WAS GETTING OUT SOME CHARTS, MY ATTN WAS NOT ON WHAT THE FO WAS DOING. AT 11000 FT I CALLED FOR THE CRUISE CHKLIST. 11000 FT IS A NORMAL FLT PLAN ALT FOR THIS RTE OF FLT. AFTER THE CRUISE CHK WAS COMPLETED, WE STARTED A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RECENTLY COMPLETED WORLD SERIES. AFTER A BIT, THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP TO CHK ON US. I MADE A COMMENT THAT THE FREQ WAS UNUSUALLY QUIET. I THEN CHKED THE FREQ ON COM #1 AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT. I ASKED THE FO IF HE HAD GOTTEN A RESPONSE WHEN HE CHKED IN AND HE SAID YES. THE FREQ IN THE COM WAS 132.65, THE NORMAL FREQ FOR CLEVELAND IS 132.45. I TRIED TO RAISE CLE ON 132.65, BUT NO ONE ANSWERED. BY THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 50 MI FROM THE ERI VOR SO I TRIED TO RAISE ERI APCH. I DID GET HOLD OF ERI AND HE ASKED IF WE GOT HUNG UP ON A FREQ. LATER I LOOKED AT THE FLT PLAN AND NOTICED THAT WE WERE FILED FOR 15000 FT. WE USE A COMPUTER SYS SO THE FLT PLAN COULD BE DIFFERENT EACH TIME. THE FO WAS AN EXPERIENCED PLT AT THE COMPANY AND I WAS LULLED INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE FLT PLAN AND MONITORED THE RADIO COMS MORE CLOSELY.

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.