Air carrier flight crew on SID departure forgets to change frequency to departure control.

Attributes
ACN	171532
Time
Date	199102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : ord tower : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 4180 flight time type : 675
ASRS Report	171532
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing ord on the first leg of the day, we were cleared for takeoff on runway 32R and given a right turn to 040 degrees. I was flying the aircraft and the captain was the PNF. We were level at 5000' on the 040 degree heading for what was probably several mins, when we noted that it was unusual to be assigned that heading for that long a period of time for our route. The captain observed the communication radio was selected to the tower frequency. He immediately switched to the departure frequency specified by the ord 9 SID and called the ord departure controller. The controller indicated that they had been looking for us. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. I am not sure whether we were ever handed off or if the captain acknowledged a handoff. The ord tower controller did not try to contact us. Ord is a busy airport from which we frequently operate. I am committed to be more diligent in monitoring communications while flying the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ON SID DEP FORGETS TO CHANGE FREQ TO DEP CTL.

Narrative: DEPARTING ORD ON THE FIRST LEG OF THE DAY, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 32R AND GIVEN A RIGHT TURN TO 040 DEGS. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND THE CAPT WAS THE PNF. WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000' ON THE 040 DEG HDG FOR WHAT WAS PROBABLY SEVERAL MINS, WHEN WE NOTED THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL TO BE ASSIGNED THAT HDG FOR THAT LONG A PERIOD OF TIME FOR OUR RTE. THE CAPT OBSERVED THE COM RADIO WAS SELECTED TO THE TWR FREQ. HE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO THE DEP FREQ SPECIFIED BY THE ORD 9 SID AND CALLED THE ORD DEP CTLR. THE CTLR INDICATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR US. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER WE WERE EVER HANDED OFF OR IF THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED A HDOF. THE ORD TWR CTLR DID NOT TRY TO CONTACT US. ORD IS A BUSY ARPT FROM WHICH WE FREQUENTLY OPERATE. I AM COMMITTED TO BE MORE DILIGENT IN MONITORING COMS WHILE FLYING THE ACFT.

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.