C310 pilot loses communication during cruise.

Attributes
ACN	701454
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bal.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	701454
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Aircraft ATC Human Performance ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While cruising en route from bwi to oxb on an IFR flight plan; I noticed I had not heard from approach in a while; and it was nearing the handoff to patuxent approach. I called last controller for several mins; then decided contact with him was lost. I then proceeded to try about every other frequency I could find for the area; both from the chart and from suggestions on the garmin 430 'nearest' page. I finally raised ZDC; but I was not in their airspace; so I requested that they forward to patuxent or potomac approach that I was canceling IFR. They said they would try. As I descended into oxb; I began to lose contact with washington and could not get a clear answer whether or not they were successful canceling my flight plan; but I got the impression that they had closed it; or were going to keep trying. The landline phones were out at the airport; and I got distraction; and was finally able to reach FSS on my cell about 1 1/2 hours later; and they assured me the flight plan was canceled. I also called patuxent approach and discussed the issues with them. I later found out that the flight plan had not been canceled by washington; and patuxent approach called oxb to confirm my arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 PLT LOSES COM DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING ENRTE FROM BWI TO OXB ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; I NOTICED I HAD NOT HEARD FROM APCH IN A WHILE; AND IT WAS NEARING THE HDOF TO PATUXENT APCH. I CALLED LAST CTLR FOR SEVERAL MINS; THEN DECIDED CONTACT WITH HIM WAS LOST. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY ABOUT EVERY OTHER FREQ I COULD FIND FOR THE AREA; BOTH FROM THE CHART AND FROM SUGGESTIONS ON THE GARMIN 430 'NEAREST' PAGE. I FINALLY RAISED ZDC; BUT I WAS NOT IN THEIR AIRSPACE; SO I REQUESTED THAT THEY FORWARD TO PATUXENT OR POTOMAC APCH THAT I WAS CANCELING IFR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY. AS I DSNDED INTO OXB; I BEGAN TO LOSE CONTACT WITH WASHINGTON AND COULD NOT GET A CLR ANSWER WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL CANCELING MY FLT PLAN; BUT I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD CLOSED IT; OR WERE GOING TO KEEP TRYING. THE LANDLINE PHONES WERE OUT AT THE ARPT; AND I GOT DISTR; AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO REACH FSS ON MY CELL ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS LATER; AND THEY ASSURED ME THE FLT PLAN WAS CANCELED. I ALSO CALLED PATUXENT APCH AND DISCUSSED THE ISSUES WITH THEM. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE FLT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN CANCELED BY WASHINGTON; AND PATUXENT APCH CALLED OXB TO CONFIRM MY ARR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.