An instructor and student pilot failed to follow an aircraft during radio difficulties near oak.

Attributes
ACN	441630
Time
Date	199907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 102 flight time total : 525 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	441630
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A student pilot and I were returning from a training flight to oak airport. The training area was over san pablo bay, which is approximately 20 NM northwest of oak airport. After contacting bay approach control over richmond, we were instructed to 'proceed to the mormon temple (a prominent visual chkpoint north of the airport) at 2500 ft and make right traffic for runway 27R.' we were also told to follow an aircraft at our 3 O'clock position. The student then slowed 20 KTS to follow the traffic. There seemed to be a problem with the radios as we neared the temple, because we didn't hear anything for over 1 min. While I was attempting to re-establish radio communications, I lost sight of the aircraft we were to follow. When I re-established radio contact with approach control, the controller was very upset because he had been trying to contact us to give additional advisories. We were given a radar vector to the north to avoid the traffic we had unintentionally overtaken. We were then instructed to call approach when we landed. The controller was very understanding on the phone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT FAILED TO FOLLOW AN ACFT DURING RADIO DIFFICULTIES NEAR OAK.

Narrative: A STUDENT PLT AND I WERE RETURNING FROM A TRAINING FLT TO OAK ARPT. THE TRAINING AREA WAS OVER SAN PABLO BAY, WHICH IS APPROX 20 NM NW OF OAK ARPT. AFTER CONTACTING BAY APCH CTL OVER RICHMOND, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'PROCEED TO THE MORMON TEMPLE (A PROMINENT VISUAL CHKPOINT N OF THE ARPT) AT 2500 FT AND MAKE R TFC FOR RWY 27R.' WE WERE ALSO TOLD TO FOLLOW AN ACFT AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS. THE STUDENT THEN SLOWED 20 KTS TO FOLLOW THE TFC. THERE SEEMED TO BE A PROB WITH THE RADIOS AS WE NEARED THE TEMPLE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FOR OVER 1 MIN. WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO RE-ESTABLISH RADIO COMS, I LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT WE WERE TO FOLLOW. WHEN I RE-ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH APCH CTL, THE CTLR WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US TO GIVE ADDITIONAL ADVISORIES. WE WERE GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR TO THE N TO AVOID THE TFC WE HAD UNINTENTIONALLY OVERTAKEN. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO CALL APCH WHEN WE LANDED. THE CTLR WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING ON THE PHONE.

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.