Air carrier loss of radio contact while on center vector departure from cle.

Attributes
ACN	81028
Time
Date	198801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slt airport : cle
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j584
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 4100
ASRS Report	81028
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We departed cle at XA59. After being handed off to cle center, center advised us to fly a heading of 105 degrees. Winds were out of 240 degrees at 132 KTS, so we had a very high ground speed. At approximately XB30, I noticed that we had not talked to center for about 10 mins. I then realized that the heading of 105 degrees had put us 33 mi north of slate run VOR, which was a fix on our route of flight. I immediately turned south dir to slt to rejoin our filed route of flight, which was on J-584. We simultaneously attempted contact with center. We were using #2 VHF radio because the right side of #1 radio was MEL'd. We confirmed that the #2 radio had failed and went to the left side of the #1 radio. The first officer and I had been engaged in conversation and were lulled into a false sense of security because it was a beautiful morning and were on an ATC vector. We should have become suspicious when we heard no chatter on the frequency. Center attempted contact through SELCAL but was unable because we were on frequency 130.4, which is apparently a very local frequency for cle. We should have been on SELCAL frequency 129.35. Complacency, a center vector, beautiful morning and an easy flight caused us to not realize our radio had failed sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT WHILE ON CENTER VECTOR DEP FROM CLE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED CLE AT XA59. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO CLE CENTER, CENTER ADVISED US TO FLY A HDG OF 105 DEGS. WINDS WERE OUT OF 240 DEGS AT 132 KTS, SO WE HAD A VERY HIGH GND SPD. AT APPROX XB30, I NOTICED THAT WE HAD NOT TALKED TO CENTER FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE HDG OF 105 DEGS HAD PUT US 33 MI N OF SLATE RUN VOR, WHICH WAS A FIX ON OUR ROUTE OF FLT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED S DIR TO SLT TO REJOIN OUR FILED ROUTE OF FLT, WHICH WAS ON J-584. WE SIMULTANEOUSLY ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH CENTER. WE WERE USING #2 VHF RADIO BECAUSE THE RIGHT SIDE OF #1 RADIO WAS MEL'D. WE CONFIRMED THAT THE #2 RADIO HAD FAILED AND WENT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE #1 RADIO. THE F/O AND I HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION AND WERE LULLED INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BECAUSE IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING AND WERE ON AN ATC VECTOR. WE SHOULD HAVE BECOME SUSPICIOUS WHEN WE HEARD NO CHATTER ON THE FREQ. CENTER ATTEMPTED CONTACT THROUGH SELCAL BUT WAS UNABLE BECAUSE WE WERE ON FREQ 130.4, WHICH IS APPARENTLY A VERY LCL FREQ FOR CLE. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON SELCAL FREQ 129.35. COMPLACENCY, A CENTER VECTOR, BEAUTIFUL MORNING AND AN EASY FLT CAUSED US TO NOT REALIZE OUR RADIO HAD FAILED SOONER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.