Commuter flight lost communication with center at moment center tried to give TA.

Attributes
ACN	194165
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cng
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	194165
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I (PF) was off #1 communication on #2. PNF wished to communicate on #2 and without establishing my return to #1 she started transmitting on #2 and switched off #2. Naturally, exactly at that time, ATC called traffic to us and for 1 min we did not respond. When I realized we were off (both of us) I switched on in time to hear center calling. I responded to center and he said that he was calling us in reference to traffic, but that he had already turned. He (center) also wondered why he couldn't reach us for a min or so. Pilots should always be cognizant of who is monitoring a certain assigned frequency and who is not. Crew coordination demands that crew members remain vigilant during assigned duties, particularly when monitoring an ATC frequency. A simple way to accomplish this is a healthy mix of common sense and the ability to follow company guidelines for this purpose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT LOST COM WITH CENTER AT MOMENT CENTER TRIED TO GIVE TA.

Narrative: I (PF) WAS OFF #1 COM ON #2. PNF WISHED TO COMMUNICATE ON #2 AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING MY RETURN TO #1 SHE STARTED XMITTING ON #2 AND SWITCHED OFF #2. NATURALLY, EXACTLY AT THAT TIME, ATC CALLED TFC TO US AND FOR 1 MIN WE DID NOT RESPOND. WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE OFF (BOTH OF US) I SWITCHED ON IN TIME TO HEAR CENTER CALLING. I RESPONDED TO CENTER AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS CALLING US IN REF TO TFC, BUT THAT HE HAD ALREADY TURNED. HE (CENTER) ALSO WONDERED WHY HE COULDN'T REACH US FOR A MIN OR SO. PLTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE COGNIZANT OF WHO IS MONITORING A CERTAIN ASSIGNED FREQ AND WHO IS NOT. CREW COORD DEMANDS THAT CREW MEMBERS REMAIN VIGILANT DURING ASSIGNED DUTIES, PARTICULARLY WHEN MONITORING AN ATC FREQ. A SIMPLE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS A HEALTHY MIX OF COMMON SENSE AND THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW COMPANY GUIDELINES FOR THIS PURPOSE.

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.