Temporary loss of radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	245996
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	245996
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was flying on an IFR flight plan from mgw to hef. The conditions out of mgw were VFR but soon turned to IMC at 5000 ft. I was communicating with ZDC (133.65) and was told to report kessel VOR due to loss of radar contact. About 6-7 mi before kessel, center gave me an amended clearance (V4 to armel then direct hef). Also, center asked that I identify, and radar contact was made, but I still needed to report passing kessel VOR. Upon passing kessel VOR, I tried to report to center but got no acknowledgement. I tried a couple of more times to no avail. Near winchester on V4 an air carrier pilot contacted me and asked if I had been receiving center -- they were trying to reach me. I told the air carrier pilot that I had received center earlier but not lately. He passed on to center that I had been receiving them but never told center of my problems receiving them. The air carrier pilot passed along a new frequency for dulles approach. I called dulles and the controller gave me a direct clearance to hef. The rest of the flight was routine. The loss of communication occurred because, I believe, due to too low of an MEA. I would suggest, and I will file in the future, that a more proper altitude would be 7000 ft eastbound. Also, I should have tried to contact dulles approach on my own. However, I was in hard IMC and had my hands full flying the plane (no autoplt). My judgement was questionable by not recognizing that I was not receiving center. I heard other pilots talking so I know the radios were all right. It never dawned on me that part of the conversation (the center part) was missing until the air carrier pilot called. I never heard anyone trying to contact me, so I assumed everything was ok. A lesson that I will remember for yrs to come.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MGW TO HEF. THE CONDITIONS OUT OF MGW WERE VFR BUT SOON TURNED TO IMC AT 5000 FT. I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH ZDC (133.65) AND WAS TOLD TO RPT KESSEL VOR DUE TO LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT. ABOUT 6-7 MI BEFORE KESSEL, CTR GAVE ME AN AMENDED CLRNC (V4 TO ARMEL THEN DIRECT HEF). ALSO, CTR ASKED THAT I IDENT, AND RADAR CONTACT WAS MADE, BUT I STILL NEEDED TO RPT PASSING KESSEL VOR. UPON PASSING KESSEL VOR, I TRIED TO RPT TO CTR BUT GOT NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I TRIED A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES TO NO AVAIL. NEAR WINCHESTER ON V4 AN ACR PLT CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF I HAD BEEN RECEIVING CTR -- THEY WERE TRYING TO REACH ME. I TOLD THE ACR PLT THAT I HAD RECEIVED CTR EARLIER BUT NOT LATELY. HE PASSED ON TO CTR THAT I HAD BEEN RECEIVING THEM BUT NEVER TOLD CTR OF MY PROBS RECEIVING THEM. THE ACR PLT PASSED ALONG A NEW FREQ FOR DULLES APCH. I CALLED DULLES AND THE CTLR GAVE ME A DIRECT CLRNC TO HEF. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS ROUTINE. THE LOSS OF COM OCCURRED BECAUSE, I BELIEVE, DUE TO TOO LOW OF AN MEA. I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I WILL FILE IN THE FUTURE, THAT A MORE PROPER ALT WOULD BE 7000 FT EBOUND. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT DULLES APCH ON MY OWN. HOWEVER, I WAS IN HARD IMC AND HAD MY HANDS FULL FLYING THE PLANE (NO AUTOPLT). MY JUDGEMENT WAS QUESTIONABLE BY NOT RECOGNIZING THAT I WAS NOT RECEIVING CTR. I HEARD OTHER PLTS TALKING SO I KNOW THE RADIOS WERE ALL RIGHT. IT NEVER DAWNED ON ME THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION (THE CTR PART) WAS MISSING UNTIL THE ACR PLT CALLED. I NEVER HEARD ANYONE TRYING TO CONTACT ME, SO I ASSUMED EVERYTHING WAS OK. A LESSON THAT I WILL REMEMBER FOR YRS TO COME.

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.