Air carrier X lost radio contact with ZMA because of low altitude.

Attributes
ACN	290298
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mygf
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6990 flight time type : 3580
ASRS Report	290298
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X descending so as to be at 4000 ft at or before padus intersection. Padus was our clearance limit. We attempted to contact ZMA as we were expecting a handoff prior to reaching padus. We were unable to contact ZMA despite 3 attempts. At padus we slowed and began a right turn to enter holding. The copilot switched frequencys to freeport approach and obtained a new clearance. We proceeded via the new clearance. After the stop in freeport we departed back toward the miami area. Upon handoff to ZMA on the same frequency as before we were unable to establish contact until above 7500 ft. We told the ZMA controller of our previous problem at padus. He said it was probably because of our low altitude (4000 ft). Since this routing is quite routine (padus via bahama route 66V cross padus at 4000 ft) perhaps a new center frequency with lower coverage should be established. Failing this, perhaps center could effect handoff to freeport approach earlier, prior to the airplane beginning descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH ZMA BECAUSE OF LOW ALT.

Narrative: ACR X DSNDING SO AS TO BE AT 4000 FT AT OR BEFORE PADUS INTXN. PADUS WAS OUR CLRNC LIMIT. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZMA AS WE WERE EXPECTING A HDOF PRIOR TO REACHING PADUS. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT ZMA DESPITE 3 ATTEMPTS. AT PADUS WE SLOWED AND BEGAN A R TURN TO ENTER HOLDING. THE COPLT SWITCHED FREQS TO FREEPORT APCH AND OBTAINED A NEW CLRNC. WE PROCEEDED VIA THE NEW CLRNC. AFTER THE STOP IN FREEPORT WE DEPARTED BACK TOWARD THE MIAMI AREA. UPON HDOF TO ZMA ON THE SAME FREQ AS BEFORE WE WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT UNTIL ABOVE 7500 FT. WE TOLD THE ZMA CTLR OF OUR PREVIOUS PROB AT PADUS. HE SAID IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF OUR LOW ALT (4000 FT). SINCE THIS ROUTING IS QUITE ROUTINE (PADUS VIA BAHAMA RTE 66V CROSS PADUS AT 4000 FT) PERHAPS A NEW CTR FREQ WITH LOWER COVERAGE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. FAILING THIS, PERHAPS CTR COULD EFFECT HDOF TO FREEPORT APCH EARLIER, PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE BEGINNING DSCNT.

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.