Flight crew of an large transport lost communication with approach during a vector to final resulting in ATC instructed immediate climb when communication reestablished with the tower controller.

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Attributes
ACN	320760
Time
Date	199511
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	320760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was being vectored for an ILS approach to runway 21 at geg. Altitude assigned was 4000 ft and heading was approximately 90 degrees to the inbound course heading: aircraft location was northwest to north of geg, crew observed the aircraft going through the localizer course. Captain told first officer to call approach control. First officer was unable to contact and switched to tower frequency. Controller issued clearance, 'climb immediately to 5500 ft and turn right to 270 degrees.' crew immediately complied and completed the ILS to runway 21. After blocking in, crew reviewed sequence of events and realized that communications had been lost with approach control (123.75) due to the frequency transfer switch being activated back to 126.1 (center). Crew suspects that switch may have been moved by turbulence as first officer had no recollection of moving switch. Better situational awareness and radio discipline might have averted situation. No GPWS activation occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT LOST COM WITH APCH DURING A VECTOR TO FINAL RESULTING IN ATC INSTRUCTED IMMEDIATE CLB WHEN COM REESTABLISHED WITH THE TWR CTLR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 21 AT GEG. ALT ASSIGNED WAS 4000 FT AND HEADING WAS APPROX 90 DEGS TO THE INBOUND COURSE HEADING: ACFT LOCATION WAS NW TO N OF GEG, CREW OBSERVED THE ACFT GOING THROUGH THE LOC COURSE. CAPT TOLD FO TO CALL APCH CTL. FO WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT AND SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. CTLR ISSUED CLRNC, 'CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 5500 FT AND TURN R TO 270 DEGS.' CREW IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED AND COMPLETED THE ILS TO RWY 21. AFTER BLOCKING IN, CREW REVIEWED SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND REALIZED THAT COMS HAD BEEN LOST WITH APCH CTL (123.75) DUE TO THE FREQ TRANSFER SWITCH BEING ACTIVATED BACK TO 126.1 (CTR). CREW SUSPECTS THAT SWITCH MAY HAVE BEEN MOVED BY TURB AS FO HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF MOVING SWITCH. BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND RADIO DISCIPLINE MIGHT HAVE AVERTED SIT. NO GPWS ACTIVATION OCCURRED.

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.