Narrative:

On approach to cvg inbound to cvg on mosey 5 arrival level 11000 ft MSL speed 300 KTS. Last clearance from ZID was maintain 11000 ft and normal speed. Approximately 20 DME from cvg, had not received expected clearance to contact cvg approach. Started to slow our speed and queried a busy ZID about frequency change which was immediately given. Contacted cvg approach on directed frequency. The controller appeared slightly surprised to hear from us but immediately gave us speed, heading and altitude changes that appeared, from our standpoint at least, to fit us nicely into the cvg arrival flow with no apparent traffic conflicts. Our crew knew from previous experience (all cvg based) that this is not the normal arrival procedure to cvg and that a frequency change had been missed by ATC. Missing a frequency change, by ATC or the pilots, is not an unusual occurrence. However, it appeared in this case that whatever internal 'handoff' procedures are followed between center and approach are in place were not followed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR REMINDED BY FLC OF A B727 TO BE HANDED OFF TO APCH CTLR SINCE THE ACFT WAS WELL PAST THE NORMAL HDOF POINT.

Narrative: ON APCH TO CVG INBOUND TO CVG ON MOSEY 5 ARR LEVEL 11000 FT MSL SPD 300 KTS. LAST CLRNC FROM ZID WAS MAINTAIN 11000 FT AND NORMAL SPD. APPROX 20 DME FROM CVG, HAD NOT RECEIVED EXPECTED CLRNC TO CONTACT CVG APCH. STARTED TO SLOW OUR SPD AND QUERIED A BUSY ZID ABOUT FREQ CHANGE WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY GIVEN. CONTACTED CVG APCH ON DIRECTED FREQ. THE CTLR APPEARED SLIGHTLY SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM US BUT IMMEDIATELY GAVE US SPD, HEADING AND ALT CHANGES THAT APPEARED, FROM OUR STANDPOINT AT LEAST, TO FIT US NICELY INTO THE CVG ARR FLOW WITH NO APPARENT TFC CONFLICTS. OUR CREW KNEW FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE (ALL CVG BASED) THAT THIS IS NOT THE NORMAL ARR PROC TO CVG AND THAT A FREQ CHANGE HAD BEEN MISSED BY ATC. MISSING A FREQ CHANGE, BY ATC OR THE PLTS, IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. HOWEVER, IT APPEARED IN THIS CASE THAT WHATEVER INTERNAL 'HDOF' PROCS ARE FOLLOWED BTWN CTR AND APCH ARE IN PLACE WERE NOT FOLLOWED.

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.