Radio communication problem loss of radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	189105
Time
Date	199109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	189105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While climbing to FL350, new york center advised us to level at FL280. We did and a few mins later were cleared up to FL350 which was acknowledged by us. We climbed and leveled at FL350. 10-15 mins later our ACARS notified us of the need to contact center. We called ZNY and they remarked that they had been trying to get us for a radio change 100 mi ago. They gave us a frequency for cle center and we contacted them. They, too, had been looking for us and wanted to know if we climbed to FL350 on an expect further climb or if we had been directed? Apparently they had not received our acknowledgement to climb to FL350 and were concerned we had done it on our own! At no time did we ever lose contact with new york center and were constantly monitoring their transmissions. There were a few radio calls that we heard that were unreadable due to 2 transmissions at once. We did not acknowledge any unreadable calls. It is possible that new york thought we were talking when we weren't.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO COM PROBLEM LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO FL350, NEW YORK CENTER ADVISED US TO LEVEL AT FL280. WE DID AND A FEW MINS LATER WERE CLRED UP TO FL350 WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY US. WE CLBED AND LEVELED AT FL350. 10-15 MINS LATER OUR ACARS NOTIFIED US OF THE NEED TO CONTACT CENTER. WE CALLED ZNY AND THEY REMARKED THAT THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET US FOR A RADIO CHANGE 100 MI AGO. THEY GAVE US A FREQ FOR CLE CENTER AND WE CONTACTED THEM. THEY, TOO, HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR US AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE CLBED TO FL350 ON AN EXPECT FURTHER CLB OR IF WE HAD BEEN DIRECTED? APPARENTLY THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO CLB TO FL350 AND WERE CONCERNED WE HAD DONE IT ON OUR OWN! AT NO TIME DID WE EVER LOSE CONTACT WITH NEW YORK CENTER AND WERE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. THERE WERE A FEW RADIO CALLS THAT WE HEARD THAT WERE UNREADABLE DUE TO 2 TRANSMISSIONS AT ONCE. WE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY UNREADABLE CALLS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NEW YORK THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING WHEN WE WEREN'T.

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.