Air carrier flight crew loses communication with center due to wrong frequency selection.

Attributes
ACN	126541
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	126541
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At 31,000' cruise, ZDC said contact ZDC on 133.97. Just as this call was made F/a walked up to ask first officer what I would like to drink with my meal. Apparently captain called center on 133.87 but did not get a response. Rather than call again he started talking to F/a. After a few mins I noticed I was hearing aircraft talking but not center. I looked at the frequency I had written down as 33.97. The radio was tuned to 133.87. I informed captain he was on the wrong frequency. He retuned radio to proper frequency and ZDC said they had been calling for 80 mi. Crew should have listened for proper response for center on initial contact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW LOSES COM WITH CENTER DUE TO WRONG FREQ SELECTION.

Narrative: AT 31,000' CRUISE, ZDC SAID CONTACT ZDC ON 133.97. JUST AS THIS CALL WAS MADE F/A WALKED UP TO ASK F/O WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DRINK WITH MY MEAL. APPARENTLY CAPT CALLED CENTER ON 133.87 BUT DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. RATHER THAN CALL AGAIN HE STARTED TALKING TO F/A. AFTER A FEW MINS I NOTICED I WAS HEARING ACFT TALKING BUT NOT CENTER. I LOOKED AT THE FREQ I HAD WRITTEN DOWN AS 33.97. THE RADIO WAS TUNED TO 133.87. I INFORMED CAPT HE WAS ON THE WRONG FREQ. HE RETUNED RADIO TO PROPER FREQ AND ZDC SAID THEY HAD BEEN CALLING FOR 80 MI. CREW SHOULD HAVE LISTENED FOR PROPER RESPONSE FOR CENTER ON INITIAL CONTACT.

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.