Air carrier medium large transport appears to have lost communication with ATC.

Attributes
ACN	129421
Time
Date	198911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zob tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 123 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	129421
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 61 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 61
ASRS Report	129050
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The problem arose on V31 at FL290. We were awaiting descent clearance from ZNY. We could hear him talking to other aircraft so we knew that we were still in contact. When it was getting late for a normal descent, we couldn't wait any longer and called ZNY for our descent into rochester. His reply was 'who are you, where are you headed?' apparently we were never handed off. We then requested a handoff for a descent into rochester. He could not supply us with a center frequency so I checked the low altitude chart and told him I'll be switching to ZOB 124.7. By this time we were about 45 mi from rochester. He (ZOB) gave us a left turn to a 360 degree heading and descent to 10,000'. We expedited down to 10,000' and made a normal approach and landing. Contributing factors: we waited too long to call center for a lower altitude. Corrective actions: contacting ZOB and expediting our descent to 10,000'. Human performance: next time I won't wait as long if I feel the time has past for us to begin a comfortable descent. ZNY apparently forgot to hand us off to ZOB and ZOB was preparing to move other aircraft out from beneath us, wondering what we would do if we reached roc and were still out of contact. Fortunately, we contacted them before they had to move any other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG APPEARS TO HAVE LOST COM WITH ATC.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE ON V31 AT FL290. WE WERE AWAITING DSCNT CLRNC FROM ZNY. WE COULD HEAR HIM TALKING TO OTHER ACFT SO WE KNEW THAT WE WERE STILL IN CONTACT. WHEN IT WAS GETTING LATE FOR A NORMAL DSCNT, WE COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER AND CALLED ZNY FOR OUR DSCNT INTO ROCHESTER. HIS REPLY WAS 'WHO ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?' APPARENTLY WE WERE NEVER HANDED OFF. WE THEN REQUESTED A HANDOFF FOR A DSCNT INTO ROCHESTER. HE COULD NOT SUPPLY US WITH A CENTER FREQ SO I CHECKED THE LOW ALT CHART AND TOLD HIM I'LL BE SWITCHING TO ZOB 124.7. BY THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 45 MI FROM ROCHESTER. HE (ZOB) GAVE US A LEFT TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG AND DSCNT TO 10,000'. WE EXPEDITED DOWN TO 10,000' AND MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WE WAITED TOO LONG TO CALL CENTER FOR A LOWER ALT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: CONTACTING ZOB AND EXPEDITING OUR DSCNT TO 10,000'. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: NEXT TIME I WON'T WAIT AS LONG IF I FEEL THE TIME HAS PAST FOR US TO BEGIN A COMFORTABLE DSCNT. ZNY APPARENTLY FORGOT TO HAND US OFF TO ZOB AND ZOB WAS PREPARING TO MOVE OTHER ACFT OUT FROM BENEATH US, WONDERING WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE REACHED ROC AND WERE STILL OUT OF CONTACT. FORTUNATELY, WE CONTACTED THEM BEFORE THEY HAD TO MOVE ANY OTHER ACFT.

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.