<< >> NASA ASRS Report 532316, December 2001

A B747 crew were experiencing communications problems resulting in delayed position reporting while flying over southern africa.

Attributes
ACN	532316
Time
Date	200112
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fool.artcc
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13900 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	532316
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility Aircraft Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

During flight from dmmn to fajs we experienced the typical conditions associated with operations in the african non radar environment. Position reports and air-to-air advisories were conducted at the appropriate reporting points. We attempted to contact libreville for approximately 30 mins on all listed HF frequencys and UHF frequencys as well as XXXX for position and ETA reports. The first point of contact was 20-25 mi from lbv VORTAC. At this time the controller was obviously upset. No traffic conflicts were experienced or stated. The HF communication frequencys are shared in this area by numerous other control areas in southern african which adds to this problem. The entire crew has considerable experience in non radar environments as well as operations in africa. While in this operating area of lbv we noted that we were not the only ones transmitting to lbv and not receiving a reply.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 CREW WERE EXPERIENCING COMS PROBS RESULTING IN DELAYED POS RPTING WHILE FLYING OVER SOUTHERN AFRICA.

Narrative: DURING FLT FROM DMMN TO FAJS WE EXPERIENCED THE TYPICAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH OPS IN THE AFRICAN NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. POS RPTS AND AIR-TO-AIR ADVISORIES WERE CONDUCTED AT THE APPROPRIATE RPTING POINTS. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT LIBREVILLE FOR APPROX 30 MINS ON ALL LISTED HF FREQS AND UHF FREQS AS WELL AS XXXX FOR POS AND ETA RPTS. THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT WAS 20-25 MI FROM LBV VORTAC. AT THIS TIME THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY UPSET. NO TFC CONFLICTS WERE EXPERIENCED OR STATED. THE HF COM FREQS ARE SHARED IN THIS AREA BY NUMEROUS OTHER CTL AREAS IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN WHICH ADDS TO THIS PROB. THE ENTIRE CREW HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN NON RADAR ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL AS OPS IN AFRICA. WHILE IN THIS OPERATING AREA OF LBV WE NOTED THAT WE WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES XMITTING TO LBV AND NOT RECEIVING A REPLY.

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.