FA50 flight crew apparently caught between ZAU and ZID mis-frequency issuance.

Attributes
ACN	523092
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : luk.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival star : tarne enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	523092
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	523100
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

In cruise flight at FL330 en route to cincinnati lunken field (luk) from madison, wi (msn) about 50 NM north of danville VOR (dnv) we were instructed by ZAU to proceed direct dnv and do the tarne 1 arrival to lunken. Also, contact ZAU 121.27. We checked in with center and they repeated the same directions 'dnv and tarne 1 to luk.' close to dnv we were instructed to contact ZAU on 118.22. We acknowledged. We checked in as 'flight XXX level FL330' with only a 'roger' reply from center. We continued the arrival. There is a crossing listed on the arrival to cross tarne at 11000 ft. We were coming up to a point we needed to start down to meet the crossing if needed. I called ZAU and said 'ZAU, flight XXX, do you want us to meet the crossing altitude at tarne.' the reply was 'negative, maintain FL280 for now.' I replied 'flight XXX FL280.' we were at FL330 so we started down for FL280. We leveled at FL280 still needing lower to get into luk. I called again to center 'flight XXX we need lower,' the reply was 'who wants lower.' I said 'flight XXX.' his reply 'where are you.' I gave our position as 35 mi wsw of luk. He said, 'you're on the wrong frequency, go back to the last assigned.' I told him 'he was our last assigned' and 'you just gave us FL280 3 mins ago.' he came back and said 'is this flight YYY,' and I said 'no, it's flight XXX.' he instructed us to standby. He came back and gave us a frequency for ZID. We checked on with ZID at FL280, their first reply was 'welcome aboard, we've been looking for you. Did you just decide to descend to FL280 on your own?' we replied with,' no, the last controller assigned us FL280.' he asked what frequency that was and I told him 118.22. He replied with 'roger, we'll talk to them.' this whole time we stayed on the arrival. ZID came back and gave us a phone number to call once on the ground. We continued on to luk and landed and called center once on ground. We talked to the center manager once on the ground explaining our side. He said he would review tapes and let us know.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA50 FLC APPARENTLY CAUGHT BTWN ZAU AND ZID MIS-FREQ ISSUANCE.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT AT FL330 ENRTE TO CINCINNATI LUNKEN FIELD (LUK) FROM MADISON, WI (MSN) ABOUT 50 NM N OF DANVILLE VOR (DNV) WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ZAU TO PROCEED DIRECT DNV AND DO THE TARNE 1 ARR TO LUNKEN. ALSO, CONTACT ZAU 121.27. WE CHKED IN WITH CTR AND THEY REPEATED THE SAME DIRECTIONS 'DNV AND TARNE 1 TO LUK.' CLOSE TO DNV WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT ZAU ON 118.22. WE ACKNOWLEDGED. WE CHKED IN AS 'FLT XXX LEVEL FL330' WITH ONLY A 'ROGER' REPLY FROM CTR. WE CONTINUED THE ARR. THERE IS A XING LISTED ON THE ARR TO CROSS TARNE AT 11000 FT. WE WERE COMING UP TO A POINT WE NEEDED TO START DOWN TO MEET THE XING IF NEEDED. I CALLED ZAU AND SAID 'ZAU, FLT XXX, DO YOU WANT US TO MEET THE XING ALT AT TARNE.' THE REPLY WAS 'NEGATIVE, MAINTAIN FL280 FOR NOW.' I REPLIED 'FLT XXX FL280.' WE WERE AT FL330 SO WE STARTED DOWN FOR FL280. WE LEVELED AT FL280 STILL NEEDING LOWER TO GET INTO LUK. I CALLED AGAIN TO CTR 'FLT XXX WE NEED LOWER,' THE REPLY WAS 'WHO WANTS LOWER.' I SAID 'FLT XXX.' HIS REPLY 'WHERE ARE YOU.' I GAVE OUR POS AS 35 MI WSW OF LUK. HE SAID, 'YOU'RE ON THE WRONG FREQ, GO BACK TO THE LAST ASSIGNED.' I TOLD HIM 'HE WAS OUR LAST ASSIGNED' AND 'YOU JUST GAVE US FL280 3 MINS AGO.' HE CAME BACK AND SAID 'IS THIS FLT YYY,' AND I SAID 'NO, IT'S FLT XXX.' HE INSTRUCTED US TO STANDBY. HE CAME BACK AND GAVE US A FREQ FOR ZID. WE CHKED ON WITH ZID AT FL280, THEIR FIRST REPLY WAS 'WELCOME ABOARD, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU. DID YOU JUST DECIDE TO DSND TO FL280 ON YOUR OWN?' WE REPLIED WITH,' NO, THE LAST CTLR ASSIGNED US FL280.' HE ASKED WHAT FREQ THAT WAS AND I TOLD HIM 118.22. HE REPLIED WITH 'ROGER, WE'LL TALK TO THEM.' THIS WHOLE TIME WE STAYED ON THE ARR. ZID CAME BACK AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ONCE ON THE GND. WE CONTINUED ON TO LUK AND LANDED AND CALLED CTR ONCE ON GND. WE TALKED TO THE CTR MGR ONCE ON THE GND EXPLAINING OUR SIDE. HE SAID HE WOULD REVIEW TAPES AND LET US KNOW.

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.