Corporate small transport pilot on IFR flight is handed off to ZKC sector only to learn later that Z...

Attributes
ACN	121963
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vhp
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc artcc : zid tower : cle
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	121963
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was cruising at FL230 on an IFR flight plan from kansas city to indianapolis. I was being controled by ZKC. ZKC gave me a handoff and new frequency to another ZKC controller. I called ZKC on the new frequency upon which the controller responded with a 'roger'. I monitored this frequency as I flew towards indianapolis. At my assigned altitude and route, upon reaching a point about 75 NM west of indianapolis, I requested a lower altitude. The kansas city controller came back with the response that he didn't know where I was, or who I was! I told him my position which he followed by giving me a new ZKC frequency. I called kansas city on this new frequency. This controller didn't know anything about me either so he handed me over to ZID. I called ZID and they didn't know anything about me. I explained that I was on an IFR flight plan, at FL230, 60.1 NM west of indianapolis and expressed my concern that once again no one knows anything about this flight. At this point indy got things figured out and I proceeded with a normal approach and landing at indianapolis. This situation may have come about for several reasons: 1) the 'roger' may have been for another aircraft, thus the controller never did acknowledge my call on. 2) a crucial handoff may have been 'stepped on'. 3) the frequency was very busy. 4) lack of concern by ATC from aircraft moving across their screen that they aren't talking to. The lack of not being positively controled was discovered by the pilot only after asking for a lower altitude. The situation could be corrected by: 1) pilots not accepting a 'roger' without a call sign. 2) pilots concerned when controllers haven't communicated after a period of time. 3) controllers should seek to communicate with aircraft that haven't called on to the frequency within a reasonable time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE SMT PLT ON IFR FLT IS HANDED OFF TO ZKC SECTOR ONLY TO LEARN LATER THAT ZKC HAS LOST TRACK OF HIM, DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS OR TO WHOM HE SHOULD BE TALKING.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT FL230 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM KANSAS CITY TO INDIANAPOLIS. I WAS BEING CTLED BY ZKC. ZKC GAVE ME A HANDOFF AND NEW FREQ TO ANOTHER ZKC CTLR. I CALLED ZKC ON THE NEW FREQ UPON WHICH THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH A 'ROGER'. I MONITORED THIS FREQ AS I FLEW TOWARDS INDIANAPOLIS. AT MY ASSIGNED ALT AND ROUTE, UPON REACHING A POINT ABOUT 75 NM W OF INDIANAPOLIS, I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. THE KANSAS CITY CTLR CAME BACK WITH THE RESPONSE THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS, OR WHO I WAS! I TOLD HIM MY POSITION WHICH HE FOLLOWED BY GIVING ME A NEW ZKC FREQ. I CALLED KANSAS CITY ON THIS NEW FREQ. THIS CTLR DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME EITHER SO HE HANDED ME OVER TO ZID. I CALLED ZID AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, AT FL230, 60.1 NM W OF INDIANAPOLIS AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN THAT ONCE AGAIN NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS FLT. AT THIS POINT INDY GOT THINGS FIGURED OUT AND I PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AT INDIANAPOLIS. THIS SITUATION MAY HAVE COME ABOUT FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1) THE 'ROGER' MAY HAVE BEEN FOR ANOTHER ACFT, THUS THE CTLR NEVER DID ACKNOWLEDGE MY CALL ON. 2) A CRUCIAL HANDOFF MAY HAVE BEEN 'STEPPED ON'. 3) THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY. 4) LACK OF CONCERN BY ATC FROM ACFT MOVING ACROSS THEIR SCREEN THAT THEY AREN'T TALKING TO. THE LACK OF NOT BEING POSITIVELY CTLED WAS DISCOVERED BY THE PLT ONLY AFTER ASKING FOR A LOWER ALT. THE SITUATION COULD BE CORRECTED BY: 1) PLTS NOT ACCEPTING A 'ROGER' WITHOUT A CALL SIGN. 2) PLTS CONCERNED WHEN CTLRS HAVEN'T COMMUNICATED AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. 3) CTLRS SHOULD SEEK TO COMMUNICATE WITH ACFT THAT HAVEN'T CALLED ON TO THE FREQ WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME.

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.

Corporate small transport pilot on IFR flight is handed off to ZKC sector only to learn later that ZKC has lost track of him, does not know who he is or to whom he should be talking.