Narrative:

IFR flight plan: lal VI57 gilbi direct fxe. Departure from lal was normal at approximately XX00 am. Initial altitude assignment was 2000'. I was handed off to tpa approach on 120.65 and cleared to 5000', 180 degrees assigned. After several mins I was cleared to 9000', still 180 degrees assigned. Tpa handed me off to ZMA on frequency 134.55. I am very familiar with this route and have never been assigned this frequency. The normal frequency is miami on 133.15. I checked on with ZMA and was told to continue on the 180 degree heading. ZMA was extremely congested on 134.55 due to poor WX conditions in the tampa bay area with numerous aircraft asking and receiving WX deviations. After several more mins I was cleared present position direct gilbi, to which I acknowledged and complied. During the next 30 mins I continued toward gilbi at 9000' and received no further assignments or advisories from 134.55. At 10 mi northwest of gilbi intersection I requested a lower altitude on 134.55. The controller responded somewhat confused by asking who I was. I stated we were IFR at 9000' assigned, to which he then asked my position. I responded by explaining 8 NM northwest of the gilbi intersection. After a short pause I was assigned ZMA on 133.55. I checked on frequency to be immediately queried as to why I did not communicate with them (133.55) earlier. I stated I was just handed off. The ZMA controller responded rather upset and wanted to know what our previous frequency was. I answered 134.55 and was told to descend immediately to 4000', and that we must expedite our descent. He also told us that we had been treated as a no-radio IFR for the past 20 mins. ZMA soon handed us off to ZMA approach on 119.7 and we continued on to fxe west/O further incident. I was never accused or informed of any error, nor was I asked to contact anyone at the completion of the flight. I do not now if the controller neglected to hand us off due to the heavy workload, or if his handoff to me was blocked by another aircraft with a possible acknowledgement misunderstood by the controller. I never heard any handoff, nor did I acknowledge any handoff. I do not believe safety was jeopardized because of the VMC conditions en route and I remained VMC throughout the entire flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN CRUISE TOOK HANDOFF TO INCORRECT FREQ AND WAS TREATED BY ATC AS LOST COM TRAFFIC.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN: LAL VI57 GILBI DIRECT FXE. DEP FROM LAL WAS NORMAL AT APPROX XX00 AM. INITIAL ALT ASSIGNMENT WAS 2000'. I WAS HANDED OFF TO TPA APCH ON 120.65 AND CLRED TO 5000', 180 DEGS ASSIGNED. AFTER SEVERAL MINS I WAS CLRED TO 9000', STILL 180 DEGS ASSIGNED. TPA HANDED ME OFF TO ZMA ON FREQ 134.55. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ROUTE AND HAVE NEVER BEEN ASSIGNED THIS FREQ. THE NORMAL FREQ IS MIAMI ON 133.15. I CHKED ON WITH ZMA AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE ON THE 180 DEG HDG. ZMA WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED ON 134.55 DUE TO POOR WX CONDITIONS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA WITH NUMEROUS ACFT ASKING AND RECEIVING WX DEVIATIONS. AFTER SEVERAL MORE MINS I WAS CLRED PRESENT POS DIRECT GILBI, TO WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED. DURING THE NEXT 30 MINS I CONTINUED TOWARD GILBI AT 9000' AND RECEIVED NO FURTHER ASSIGNMENTS OR ADVISORIES FROM 134.55. AT 10 MI NW OF GILBI INTXN I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT ON 134.55. THE CTLR RESPONDED SOMEWHAT CONFUSED BY ASKING WHO I WAS. I STATED WE WERE IFR AT 9000' ASSIGNED, TO WHICH HE THEN ASKED MY POS. I RESPONDED BY EXPLAINING 8 NM NW OF THE GILBI INTXN. AFTER A SHORT PAUSE I WAS ASSIGNED ZMA ON 133.55. I CHKED ON FREQ TO BE IMMEDIATELY QUERIED AS TO WHY I DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THEM (133.55) EARLIER. I STATED I WAS JUST HANDED OFF. THE ZMA CTLR RESPONDED RATHER UPSET AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT OUR PREVIOUS FREQ WAS. I ANSWERED 134.55 AND WAS TOLD TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 4000', AND THAT WE MUST EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT. HE ALSO TOLD US THAT WE HAD BEEN TREATED AS A NO-RADIO IFR FOR THE PAST 20 MINS. ZMA SOON HANDED US OFF TO ZMA APCH ON 119.7 AND WE CONTINUED ON TO FXE W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. I WAS NEVER ACCUSED OR INFORMED OF ANY ERROR, NOR WAS I ASKED TO CONTACT ANYONE AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT. I DO NOT NOW IF THE CTLR NEGLECTED TO HAND US OFF DUE TO THE HEAVY WORKLOAD, OR IF HIS HDOF TO ME WAS BLOCKED BY ANOTHER ACFT WITH A POSSIBLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MISUNDERSTOOD BY THE CTLR. I NEVER HEARD ANY HDOF, NOR DID I ACKNOWLEDGE ANY HDOF. I DO NOT BELIEVE SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED BECAUSE OF THE VMC CONDITIONS ENRTE AND I REMAINED VMC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FLT.

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.