Air carrier 'forgotten' by center.

Attributes
ACN	184580
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
ASRS Report	184850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

In 18 yrs of IFR flying this was my first experience of center 'forgetting' about us. We had been cruising at FL330 to join the milton 6 arrival into lga (clear-lga). The captain and I heard several aircraft talking to center, but on those transmissions didn't hear center replying. There was little chatter in the cockpit, so we're convinced we didn't miss a frequency handoff. After passing marre intersection where you usually get FL180, we became suspicious. About 23 east of abe, I looked up a frequency for new york center (118.45) on a low altitude chart. They handed me to 125.32. We ended up going 15 mins westbound before they could resequence us into the flow. At no time was there any questions about any loss of communication, etc. It was more an attitude of 'where'd this flight come from?' if we'd missed a frequency handoff, they'll normally contact our dispatcher, and have him send us an ACARS message. We never got anything over the ACARS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR 'FORGOTTEN' BY CENTER.

Narrative: IN 18 YRS OF IFR FLYING THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF CENTER 'FORGETTING' ABOUT US. WE HAD BEEN CRUISING AT FL330 TO JOIN THE MILTON 6 ARR INTO LGA (CLR-LGA). THE CAPT AND I HEARD SEVERAL ACFT TALKING TO CENTER, BUT ON THOSE TRANSMISSIONS DIDN'T HEAR CENTER REPLYING. THERE WAS LITTLE CHATTER IN THE COCKPIT, SO WE'RE CONVINCED WE DIDN'T MISS A FREQ HDOF. AFTER PASSING MARRE INTXN WHERE YOU USUALLY GET FL180, WE BECAME SUSPICIOUS. ABOUT 23 E OF ABE, I LOOKED UP A FREQ FOR NEW YORK CENTER (118.45) ON A LOW ALT CHART. THEY HANDED ME TO 125.32. WE ENDED UP GOING 15 MINS WBND BEFORE THEY COULD RESEQUENCE US INTO THE FLOW. AT NO TIME WAS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY LOSS OF COM, ETC. IT WAS MORE AN ATTITUDE OF 'WHERE'D THIS FLT COME FROM?' IF WE'D MISSED A FREQ HDOF, THEY'LL NORMALLY CONTACT OUR DISPATCHER, AND HAVE HIM SEND US AN ACARS MESSAGE. WE NEVER GOT ANYTHING OVER THE ACARS.

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.