Narrative:

An small aircraft X en route from athens, GA (ahn) to louisville, ky (lou) was handed off from ZTL sector 41 to ZID sector 21. The radar controller issued small aircraft X a frequency change to 121.32(5), the correct frequency for the indianapolis sector. The pilot informed us he could not tune this frequency due to his radio limitations. Coordination with ZID resulted in these instructions: have small aircraft X monitor iiu FSS on 122.1, transmit on 122.2 or 122.45, if unable to contact then over new hope, ky, VORTAC sdf approach on 124.5. We carefully issued these instructions to small aircraft X as it entered indianapolis airspace. The pilot called back 10 mi north of the indianapolis boundary to say he could not contact iiu FSS. We repeated the contact instructions for sdf approach and ended contact with the pilot. This unsafe condition resulted in this pilot flying from the indianapolis boundary (approximately 25 mi north of hinch mountain VORTAC) to ewo VORTAC with no communications with ATC. This situation has happened repeatedly since the indianapolis frequency was changed in 1992. I filed an unsafe condition report (ucr) with the FAA after the change last yr and was told by the southern region office of the FAA that this was not an unsafe condition. If the controller cannot talk to the pilot, the pilot receives no traffic, WX or PIREPS and cannot be contacted if altitude or heading change is necessary for separation. The simple solution is to trade this frequency to a high sector for a frequency these pilots can tune. The FAA has ignored this suggestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT IFR ACFT AT LOW ALT CANNOT CONTACT THE ADJACENT ATC FACILITY AFTER HDOF DUE TO FREQ LIMITATIONS.

Narrative: AN SMA X ENRTE FROM ATHENS, GA (AHN) TO LOUISVILLE, KY (LOU) WAS HANDED OFF FROM ZTL SECTOR 41 TO ZID SECTOR 21. THE RADAR CTLR ISSUED SMA X A FREQ CHANGE TO 121.32(5), THE CORRECT FREQ FOR THE INDIANAPOLIS SECTOR. THE PLT INFORMED US HE COULD NOT TUNE THIS FREQ DUE TO HIS RADIO LIMITATIONS. COORD WITH ZID RESULTED IN THESE INSTRUCTIONS: HAVE SMA X MONITOR IIU FSS ON 122.1, XMIT ON 122.2 OR 122.45, IF UNABLE TO CONTACT THEN OVER NEW HOPE, KY, VORTAC SDF APCH ON 124.5. WE CAREFULLY ISSUED THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO SMA X AS IT ENTERED INDIANAPOLIS AIRSPACE. THE PLT CALLED BACK 10 MI N OF THE INDIANAPOLIS BOUNDARY TO SAY HE COULD NOT CONTACT IIU FSS. WE REPEATED THE CONTACT INSTRUCTIONS FOR SDF APCH AND ENDED CONTACT WITH THE PLT. THIS UNSAFE CONDITION RESULTED IN THIS PLT FLYING FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS BOUNDARY (APPROX 25 MI N OF HINCH MOUNTAIN VORTAC) TO EWO VORTAC WITH NO COMS WITH ATC. THIS SIT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY SINCE THE INDIANAPOLIS FREQ WAS CHANGED IN 1992. I FILED AN UNSAFE CONDITION RPT (UCR) WITH THE FAA AFTER THE CHANGE LAST YR AND WAS TOLD BY THE SOUTHERN REGION OFFICE OF THE FAA THAT THIS WAS NOT AN UNSAFE CONDITION. IF THE CTLR CANNOT TALK TO THE PLT, THE PLT RECEIVES NO TFC, WX OR PIREPS AND CANNOT BE CONTACTED IF ALT OR HDG CHANGE IS NECESSARY FOR SEPARATION. THE SIMPLE SOLUTION IS TO TRADE THIS FREQ TO A HIGH SECTOR FOR A FREQ THESE PLTS CAN TUNE. THE FAA HAS IGNORED THIS SUGGESTION.

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.