Small aircraft X pilot failed to change frequency.

Attributes
ACN	133571
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mzb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nkx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	133571
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Small aircraft ax on an IFR flight from airborne filing over los angeles area, proceeded IFR to san diego-lindbergh field. After handoff to san approach control, we were cleared direct to mzb VOR. As we approached the mzb VOR, I knew from previous experience that we should have received a heading of approximately 090 for vectors to the san-localizer approach course. Having received no such clearance, I called approach control. Getting no response, I called again, about 1 mi north of mzb VOR. The controller said, 'you should have switched to another frequency, turn left 080 degree and contact approach on 1XX.X.' upon switching, I immediately heard, '...you have traffic at 10 O'clock, there's an aircraft over the VOR at 5000' that no one's talking to.' I responded with, 'small aircraft X is over the VOR at 5000 because we got a late handoff.' the rest of the flight was uneventful. It seems to me that several ATC procedures were not adhered to. The handoff was not made until we called. My guess is that the controller forgot about us, otherwise, there would have been repeated calls to us. We were listening to approach and heard all of the other radio traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X PLT FAILED TO CHANGE FREQ.

Narrative: SMA AX ON AN IFR FLT FROM AIRBORNE FILING OVER LOS ANGELES AREA, PROCEEDED IFR TO SAN DIEGO-LINDBERGH FIELD. AFTER HDOF TO SAN APCH CTL, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO MZB VOR. AS WE APCHED THE MZB VOR, I KNEW FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A HDG OF APPROX 090 FOR VECTORS TO THE SAN-LOC APCH COURSE. HAVING RECEIVED NO SUCH CLRNC, I CALLED APCH CTL. GETTING NO RESPONSE, I CALLED AGAIN, ABOUT 1 MI N OF MZB VOR. THE CTLR SAID, 'YOU SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ, TURN L 080 DEG AND CONTACT APCH ON 1XX.X.' UPON SWITCHING, I IMMEDIATELY HEARD, '...YOU HAVE TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK, THERE'S AN ACFT OVER THE VOR AT 5000' THAT NO ONE'S TALKING TO.' I RESPONDED WITH, 'SMA X IS OVER THE VOR AT 5000 BECAUSE WE GOT A LATE HDOF.' THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SEVERAL ATC PROCS WERE NOT ADHERED TO. THE HDOF WAS NOT MADE UNTIL WE CALLED. MY GUESS IS THAT THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US, OTHERWISE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN REPEATED CALLS TO US. WE WERE LISTENING TO APCH AND HEARD ALL OF THE OTHER RADIO TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.