Narrative:

After takeoff from dtw we were told to contact departure. After xferring the departure frequency to the active side of the radio tuning panel (rtp), we were cleared by departure to a heading of approximately 330 degrees and to climb and maintain 13000'. When passing through 12000' in climb I thought it unusual that we had not yet received a new clearance. I prompted departure with 'air carrier xyz passing 12000' for 13000'.' the reply was, 'air carrier xyz, you're on tower.' we looked down at the rtp and the tower frequency was displayed in the active side of the rtp. I again put departure in the active side and called them. Departure told us he had been calling for 15 mi to tell us cle could not accept us in that airspace and gave us a turn to 090 degrees. Departure questioned what was wrong and asked if we had radio trouble but we never had a chance to discuss it because 1, we were flying the plane; 2, the frequency was congested; and 3, he was also giving us multiple heading changes followed with frequency changes which together with our attempt to determine how the tower frequency had become active again caused a maximum sensory load at the moment. We believe that the rtp somehow reactivated the tower frequency. Perhaps I had not pushed the xfer switch hard enough. We don't know why the tower frequency again became active in the rtp. We could not duplicate it and closely monitored the rtp for the remainder of the trip and it functioned normally. I can only suggest that the rtp be carefully monitored for the correct active frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GLASS COCKPIT WDB FLT CREW FIND THEMSELVES ON TWR FREQ WHEN THEY HAD BEEN ON DEP CTL FREQ. REPORTERS STATE THAT IT IS A MYSTERY TO THEM AS TO HOW THE SWITCH REVERTED THE FLT BACK TO THE TWR FREQ. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE SITUATION FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. A HEADING TRACK DEVIATION ENSUED.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM DTW WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. AFTER XFERRING THE DEP FREQ TO THE ACTIVE SIDE OF THE RADIO TUNING PANEL (RTP), WE WERE CLRED BY DEP TO A HDG OF APPROX 330 DEGS AND TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 13000'. WHEN PASSING THROUGH 12000' IN CLB I THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL THAT WE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A NEW CLRNC. I PROMPTED DEP WITH 'ACR XYZ PASSING 12000' FOR 13000'.' THE REPLY WAS, 'ACR XYZ, YOU'RE ON TWR.' WE LOOKED DOWN AT THE RTP AND THE TWR FREQ WAS DISPLAYED IN THE ACTIVE SIDE OF THE RTP. I AGAIN PUT DEP IN THE ACTIVE SIDE AND CALLED THEM. DEP TOLD US HE HAD BEEN CALLING FOR 15 MI TO TELL US CLE COULD NOT ACCEPT US IN THAT AIRSPACE AND GAVE US A TURN TO 090 DEGS. DEP QUESTIONED WHAT WAS WRONG AND ASKED IF WE HAD RADIO TROUBLE BUT WE NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE 1, WE WERE FLYING THE PLANE; 2, THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED; AND 3, HE WAS ALSO GIVING US MULTIPLE HDG CHANGES FOLLOWED WITH FREQ CHANGES WHICH TOGETHER WITH OUR ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE HOW THE TWR FREQ HAD BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN CAUSED A MAX SENSORY LOAD AT THE MOMENT. WE BELIEVE THAT THE RTP SOMEHOW REACTIVATED THE TWR FREQ. PERHAPS I HAD NOT PUSHED THE XFER SWITCH HARD ENOUGH. WE DON'T KNOW WHY THE TWR FREQ AGAIN BECAME ACTIVE IN THE RTP. WE COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT AND CLOSELY MONITORED THE RTP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. I CAN ONLY SUGGEST THAT THE RTP BE CAREFULLY MONITORED FOR THE CORRECT ACTIVE FREQ.

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.