B767 flight crew on descent requested to contact ATC on specific VHF frequency.

Attributes
ACN	331280
Time
Date	199603
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : uin
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	331280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

During routine arrival from denver into st louis we were asked to leave FL410 early to accommodate center crossing traffic. ATC asked if we would have an operational problem descending to FL290 by 115 mi west of uin. We said no problem and left FL410 as directed. After leveling at FL290 we received an ACARS message with a request to call a specific VHF frequency. I asked the current controller if he recognized the frequency and he said it belonged to the controller above his sector. I asked him to investigate and after a min or so he came back saying 'no problem.' the overlying sector controller had thought he had lost communication with us. The remainder of the arrival was normal, but I had the uneasy feeling that we had been lost by ATC during the handoff and I wanted to be sure we were on record as having complied 'as cleared.' ATC and I had a friendly discussion regarding the crossing airspace problems into st louis and possible solutions such as filing a more southerly arrival during the late afternoon hours. As I stated, I do not believe any problem occurred during this flight but I'm uncertain what transpired between ATC sectors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLC ON DSCNT REQUESTED TO CONTACT ATC ON SPECIFIC VHF FREQ.

Narrative: DURING ROUTINE ARR FROM DENVER INTO ST LOUIS WE WERE ASKED TO LEAVE FL410 EARLY TO ACCOMMODATE CTR XING TFC. ATC ASKED IF WE WOULD HAVE AN OPERATIONAL PROB DSNDING TO FL290 BY 115 MI W OF UIN. WE SAID NO PROB AND LEFT FL410 AS DIRECTED. AFTER LEVELING AT FL290 WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE WITH A REQUEST TO CALL A SPECIFIC VHF FREQ. I ASKED THE CURRENT CTLR IF HE RECOGNIZED THE FREQ AND HE SAID IT BELONGED TO THE CTLR ABOVE HIS SECTOR. I ASKED HIM TO INVESTIGATE AND AFTER A MIN OR SO HE CAME BACK SAYING 'NO PROB.' THE OVERLYING SECTOR CTLR HAD THOUGHT HE HAD LOST COM WITH US. THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR WAS NORMAL, BUT I HAD THE UNEASY FEELING THAT WE HAD BEEN LOST BY ATC DURING THE HDOF AND I WANTED TO BE SURE WE WERE ON RECORD AS HAVING COMPLIED 'AS CLRED.' ATC AND I HAD A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE XING AIRSPACE PROBS INTO ST LOUIS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS FILING A MORE SOUTHERLY ARR DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HRS. AS I STATED, I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY PROB OCCURRED DURING THIS FLT BUT I'M UNCERTAIN WHAT TRANSPIRED BTWN ATC SECTORS.

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.