GA small aircraft pilot was not given frequency change as aircraft passed ARTCC sector boundary.

Attributes
ACN	120864
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 970
ASRS Report	120864
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

On the return leg of an IFR round trip from roanoke, va to richmond, va, the ZDC controller (124.25) forgot about me. I knew from the morning flight to ric that I should be given a handoff to center on 125.75 before getting to roa. When I got none, I called center 4 times on 124.25 before getting a reply. I asked if he was going to work me all the way to roa. He asked where I was and I said 38 NM east of roa VOR. He then said I should be on 125.75. I replied I had not heard any handoff to that frequency (nor had I acknowledged one!). He said nothing else. I then called 125.75, was acknowledged and handed off immediately to roa approach. The controller on 124.25 was very busy, and I suspect he simply forgot me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT WAS NOT GIVEN FREQ CHANGE AS ACFT PASSED ARTCC SECTOR BOUNDARY.

Narrative: ON THE RETURN LEG OF AN IFR ROUND TRIP FROM ROANOKE, VA TO RICHMOND, VA, THE ZDC CTLR (124.25) FORGOT ABOUT ME. I KNEW FROM THE MORNING FLT TO RIC THAT I SHOULD BE GIVEN A HANDOFF TO CENTER ON 125.75 BEFORE GETTING TO ROA. WHEN I GOT NONE, I CALLED CENTER 4 TIMES ON 124.25 BEFORE GETTING A REPLY. I ASKED IF HE WAS GOING TO WORK ME ALL THE WAY TO ROA. HE ASKED WHERE I WAS AND I SAID 38 NM E OF ROA VOR. HE THEN SAID I SHOULD BE ON 125.75. I REPLIED I HAD NOT HEARD ANY HANDOFF TO THAT FREQ (NOR HAD I ACKNOWLEDGED ONE!). HE SAID NOTHING ELSE. I THEN CALLED 125.75, WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND HANDED OFF IMMEDIATELY TO ROA APCH. THE CTLR ON 124.25 WAS VERY BUSY, AND I SUSPECT HE SIMPLY FORGOT ME.

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.