Air carrier medium large transport frequency change missed or late.

Attributes
ACN	148801
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : djb
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : cle
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 : j85
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	148801
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While northbound on J85 en route to dtw, we apparently missed a handoff from ind to cle. They usually hand us off near zanesville, oh, and when I noticed that we were only 40 or so mi from djb VOR, I became suspicious. The frequency was so congested (132.45) at ind center that we didn't get a word in until we were only 15 NM south of djb. The controller said, in a surprised tone, 'you're supposed to be on cle 133.37.' we called the new frequency and were immediately handed off to 119.87. He said something to the effect of 'where have you been?' he then turned us southeast to begin our descent from FL330 since we were by now over djb and he could'nt descend us through the airspace north of djb. I do not know whether the controller at ind forgot to hand us off to cle or whether we missed her call and she was too busy to notice the lack of a readback, but the effect was to cause us a detour of 60 NM to get descended and a lot of heartburn for the folks at cle center.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FREQ CHANGE MISSED OR LATE.

Narrative: WHILE NBND ON J85 ENRTE TO DTW, WE APPARENTLY MISSED A HDOF FROM IND TO CLE. THEY USUALLY HAND US OFF NEAR ZANESVILLE, OH, AND WHEN I NOTICED THAT WE WERE ONLY 40 OR SO MI FROM DJB VOR, I BECAME SUSPICIOUS. THE FREQ WAS SO CONGESTED (132.45) AT IND CTR THAT WE DIDN'T GET A WORD IN UNTIL WE WERE ONLY 15 NM S OF DJB. THE CTLR SAID, IN A SURPRISED TONE, 'YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON CLE 133.37.' WE CALLED THE NEW FREQ AND WERE IMMEDIATELY HANDED OFF TO 119.87. HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?' HE THEN TURNED US SE TO BEGIN OUR DSNT FROM FL330 SINCE WE WERE BY NOW OVER DJB AND HE COULD'NT DSND US THROUGH THE AIRSPACE N OF DJB. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CTLR AT IND FORGOT TO HAND US OFF TO CLE OR WHETHER WE MISSED HER CALL AND SHE WAS TOO BUSY TO NOTICE THE LACK OF A READBACK, BUT THE EFFECT WAS TO CAUSE US A DETOUR OF 60 NM TO GET DSNDED AND A LOT OF HEARTBURN FOR THE FOLKS AT CLE CTR.

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.